Posted on 10/10/2003 6:16:30 AM PDT by yoe
Yes, well, unfortunately the list is only written word. Between you, me and tens of thousands of other freepers, we all know nothing short of a parade of WMD down the streets of Baghdad in broad daylight is going to convince the Democrats, the media and the majority of moderate Americans that Saddam actually had them in his possession when we went to war. Kay must produce something tangible and in large quantities. People (liberals) need to see things they know they can touch before they're willing to believe they really exist (in my opinion).
Symptoms How does it spread?
Congo-Crimean Hemorrhagic Fever
As a biological warfare agent, the primary threat is delivery by aerosol release.
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Blood discoloring arm of CCHF patient
Common symptoms are fever, muscle pain, and prostration. Physical examination may reveal only conjunctival injection, mild low blood pressure, flushing, and petechial hemorrhages. The most dreaded complications are shock, multiple organ system failure, and death.
Severe hemorrhaging is typical.
Ticks
Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne disease that occurs in the Crimea and in parts of Africa, Europe and Asia. It can also be spread by contact with infected animals, and in healthcare settings.
Patients generally have significant quantities of virus in blood and often other secretions so special caution must be used in handling sharps, needles, etc.
Diagnosis
Blood and other specimens from patients with signs and symptoms require lab analysis.
(Sewage, bulk blood, suctioned fluids, secretions, and excretions should be autoclaved, processed in a chemical toilet, or treated with a 5% chlorine solution for at least 5 minutes in bedpan or commode prior to flushing.)
Treatment
Only intensive care will save the most severely ill patients.
Management of bleeding is assisted by coagulation medications. Intramuscular injections, aspirin and other anticoagulant drugs should be avoided.
The investigational antiviral drug ribavirin is available on a case-by-case basis.
Specifics on treatment can be found here
Vaccine
There are currently no vaccines available for human use in the United States.
Mortality
Should the patient die, there should be minimal handling of the body, with sealing of the corpse in leak-proof material for prompt burial or cremation.
Survivors may be left with long-term challenges such as blindness, hearing loss, and other neurologic and eye problems.
Sources:
USAMRIID's Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbood; Fourth Edition February 2001; pages 9-10; http://usamriid.detrick.army.mil/education/bluebook/bluebook.pdf
Federation of American Scientists; http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/bw/agent.htm
Virtual Naval Hospital: Treatment of Biological Warfare Agent Casualties; http://www.vnh.org/FM8284/index.html
All contents © 2001 Stan and Holly Deyo. All rights reserved.
This information may be used by you freely for noncommercial use only with
my name and E-mail address attached.
Holly Deyo, E-mail: hollydeyo@millennium-ark.net
URL: http://millennium-ark.net/News_Files/NBC/Bio.Bugs.Plague.html
CCHF would probably be delivered by aerosol if used as a BW agent.
The length of the incubation period for illness appears to depend on the mode of acquisition of the virus. Following infection via tick bite, the incubation period is usually one to three days, with a maximum of nine days. The incubation period following contact with infected blood or tissues is usually five to six days, with a documented maximum of 13 days. Typical cases present with sudden onset of fever and chills 3-12 days after tick exposure. There is severe headache, lumbar pain, nausea and vomiting, delirium, and prostration. Fatal cases are associated with extensive hemorrhage, coma, and shock. Mortality among cases recognized as hemorrhagic fever is 15-30%, with death occurring in the second week of illness. In those patients who recover, improvement generally begins on the ninth or tenth day after onset of illness. Convalescence in survivors is prolonged with asthenia, dizziness, and often hair loss.
As you so wisely noted, the key are those moderates with a brain. :)
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