disaster 5th 1108_5th ed 2011 - Homeland Security and Emergency ...

Treatment: All three forms of anthrax are treatable with antibiotics.
Chances of coming into contact with anthrax are very low, and your body
naturally fights off bacteria so you may not even become ill.
Botulism - is a muscle-paralyzing disease caused by a toxin made by a
bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. C. botulinum occurs naturally and
can be found in soil, water, animals, contaminated foods or crops.
According to Health Canada, the toxin produced by C. botulinum is the
most potent toxin known and can affect humans, animals and even fish.
There is only one form of human-made botulism known to date.
How it spreads: Botulism cannot spread person to person. People come
into contact with the naturally formed bacteria by eating something (foodborne
- usually due to improper storage or home canning methods),
through a cut in the skin (wound), or a small number of infants (typically
less than a year old) can eat bacterial spores that get into intestines (infant
botulism). The only human-made form has been known to be transmitted
from monkeys to veterinarians and lab workers (inhalation).
Signs & Symptoms: Depends on type of botulism you’re exposed to and
the degree of exposure to the toxin but generally ...
• Foodborne - rare - signs usually appear in 6 to 36 hours
• Wound - first signs usually appear in 4 to 8 days
• Infant botulism - signs usually appear in 6 to 36 hours
• Inhalation - first signs usually appear in 72 hours
Early symptoms for ALL forms of botulism include double vision, blurred
vision, drooping eyelids, hard to speak or swallow, dry mouth and fatigue
(very tired). Muscle weakness starts at top of body and goes down causing
nerve damage that results in paralysis of face, head, throat, chest, arms and
legs -- could possibly lead to death since breathing muscles do not work.
Treatment: There is an antitoxin for botulism, but it must be treated as
quickly as possible since it may or may not reverse effects of the disease
but can stop further paralysis. Antibiotics are not effective against toxins.
Plague - is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis that affects animals
and humans. Y. pestis is found in rodents and their fleas in many areas of
the world, including the U.S. The bacterium is easily killed by sunlight and
drying but could live up to an hour when released into the air depending on
weather conditions.
How it spreads: There is only one cause of plague but three different types
of illness the infection can cause. One type of infection comes from the bite
of an infected flea or gets in through a cut in the skin by touching material
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