| INFORMATION . REFERENCES . DICTIONARY OF BIOLOGICAL DEFENSE

letter           term                                                                        definition

a

Aerosol

A fine mist or spray containing minute particles.

Derived from the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis.  An acute bacterial infection of the skin, lungs or GI tract. Can be transmitted via direct contact (with infected animals), inhalation or ingestion.  

Symptoms (depending on contraction method): Sores, blisters, respiratory distress, fever, shock, intense stomach pain, bowel obstruction, dehydration, diarrhea, fever, blood poisoning & death. 

b

B. Thuringiensis

A near-neighbor relative of bacillus anthracis (Anthrax).

Biological Defense Research Program

(US Navy - Bethesda, MD) 

Most often found in improperly prepared foods, the bacteria Clostridium botulinum is highly toxic and, once infected, untreated victims may stand little chance of survival.  There are seven recognized strains of the toxin and all of them act through flaccid paralysis of the motor nerve terminals.

Symptoms: Drooping eyelids, dry mouth, dry throat, difficulty talking & swallowing, impaired vision, difficulty breathing, death from asphyxia.

Able to be used as a biological warfare agent, these parasitic organisms invade all animal tissues and cause infections in the genital organs, mammary glands & intestinal tracts.  They are pathogenic for man & animals.

Symptoms: Prolonged fever, headaches, profuse sweating, chills, muscle & joint pain and fatigue.

c

Chemical/Biological Rapid Deployment Team 

(multi-service: DHHS, DoD, EPA, DOE - Washington, DC)

Center for Disease Control 

(DHHS)

Civil Support Teams, formerly known as RAID Teams 

(National Guard)

d

D.A.R.P.A.

Defense Advanced Research Project Agency

(Arlington, VA) 

Domestic Emergency Support Teams 

(FBI)

Defense Nuclear Weapons School 

(DTRA Training Site)

Defense Sciences Office 

(DARPA)

e

E.R.D.E.C.

Edgewood Research, Development & Engineering Center

(Edgewood, MD)

f

g

F.B.I.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

h

HazMat

Hazardous Materials

Hazardous Material Response Unit 

(FBI - Quantico, VA)

i

An instrument or test that provides information on the specific name, type or nature of a biological substance.

Immunoassay

The detection - via assay - of substances by immunological methods.

[see also, "Assay"]

Immunochromatography

Immunochromatography

(Lateral Flow)

j

k

l

Lateral Flow,

immunochromatography

m

n

National Domestic Preparedness Office

(FBI)

Nuclear Emergency Search Teams

(DOE)

National Institutes of Health 

(DHHS)

Naval Research Laboratories

(Washington, D.C.)

Office of Emergency Preparedness 

(DHHS)

Office of Local & State Domestic Preparedness 

(DOJ)

p

q

A zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Under natural conditions, humans become infected as a result of contact with rodents and their fleas. In a biological warfare scenario, the plague bacillus could be delivered via contaminated vectors (fleas), more likely, via aerosol.

Symptoms:

malaise, high fever, chills, headache, myalgia, cough with production of a bloody sputum & toxemia.

RAID Teams

Rapid Assessment and Initial Detection; now known as Civil Support Teams 

[see CST National Guard]

Derived from the common castor bean.  Can be inhaled, injected or ingested.  Easy to produce, stable & able to be dispersed via chemical agent munitions.  In a biological warfare scenario, it is expected that it would be released as a toxic cloud.

Symptoms (depending on contraction method): coughing, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, muscle death, severe inflammation of lungs & airways, organ failure, internal bleeding and death (36-48 hrs).

Rapid Response Information System 

(FEMA)

S.B.C.C.O.M.

Soldier and Biological Chemical Command 

(formerly known as CBDCOM)

S.E.B.

(Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B)

Derived from the bacteria, Staphylococcal aureus, this toxin can be employed by aerosol dissemination or food/water contamination. Via the inhalational route, the effects can appear between 1-6 hours.

Symptoms: Fever, chills, headache, myalgia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low mortality rate (> 2%)

t

Technical Escort Unit 

(ARMY)

From the bacterial zoonosis, Francisella tularensis.  also know as rabbit or deerfly fever, it is one of the most infectious pathogenic bacteria known.

Symptoms: Fever, chills, headache, shortness of breath, sweating, joint stiffness, muscle pains, enlarged lymph nodes, conjunctivitis, weight loss & red spots/ulcers on the skin.

U

v

United States Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases 

(Fort Detrick, MD)

w

x

y

z