MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL

File: 970101_sep96_decls37_0012.txt
Page: 0012
Total Pages: 23

Subject: MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL                     

Unit: OTSG        

Parent Organization: HSC         

Box  ID: BX003201

Folder Title: MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL                                                     

Document Number:       1001

Folder Seq  #:         31




                                      UNCLASSIFIED










               Specific Laboratory Diaanosis. Detection of toxin in
            serum or gastric contents from cases of foodborne botulism
            is often feasible by mouse innoculation. In the case of
            inhalation botulism, toxin may well be cleared from the
            blood by the time symptoms are noted. Nevertheless, serum
            should be obtained from representative cases for such
            attempts. Survivors probably will not develop an antibody
            response due to the small amount of toxin necessary to cause
            death. See Section III for details of sample collection and
            processing.


         THERAPY

            Respiratory failure secondary to paralysis of respiratory
         muscles is the most serious complication, and, generally, the
         cause of death. Reported cases of botulism prior to 1950 had a
         mortality of 60%. With tracheostomy and ventilatory
         assistance, fatalities should be greater than 5%. Intensive
         and prolonged nursing care may be required for recovery (which
         may take several weeks or even months).


         ANTITOXIN

            In isolated cases of foodborne botulism, circulating toxin
         is usually present, perhaps due to continued absorption through
         the gut wall. Equine antitoxin has been used in these
         circumstances, and is probably helpful. After aerosol
         exposure, it is unknown whether toxin circulates or antitoxin
         would be therapeutically useful after onset of symptoms.
         However, administration of antitoxin is reasonable if disease
         has not progressed to a stable state.

            A human pentavalent antitoxin produced by plasmaphoresis of
         toxoid vaccines is available in very limited quantities. It is
         an Investigational New Drug (IND) and has never been tested for
         efficacy. Formal safety and pharmacokinetic studies are in
. This product is useful for only highly specialized
         indications and should not be considered as generally
         available. There is no prospect for additional human antitoxin
         to be produced and made available in the foreseeable future.

            Polyvalent antitoxins have been prepared. It is felt that
         these antitoxins offer an option for therapy. Efficacy is


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                                        UNCLASSIFIED

Document 23 f:/Week-36/BX003201/MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL/medical defense against biological material:12249609313138
Control Fields 17
File Room = sep96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-36
Box ID = BX003201
Unit = OTSG
Parent Organization = HSC
Folder Title = MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL
Folder Seq # = 31
Subject = MEDICAL DEFENSE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MATERIAL
Document Seq # = 1001
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 24-DEC-1996