Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism: TICs & TIMs

Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism
Training Support Package
Participant Guide
Chemical Agents of Opportunity for Terrorism:
TICs & TIMs
Features Suggestive of
“Mass Psychogenic Illness ”
• Rapid onset and recovery
• Contagious, spreads via:
– Sight (particularly “line of sight ”)
– Smell
• Diversity of symptoms w/o physical signs or abnormal labs
• Benign morbidity with no sequelae
– Though remember the “Toxic Lady ”
• Often recurs when returning to environment
• No reasonable organic basis
– Environmental investigation is negative
Module One – Observed Behaviors during Mass Chemical Exposures
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When we evaluate cases of potential toxic mass exposure, there are certain features
suggestive of mass psychogenic illness that we should recognize:
Onset is generally immediate or rapid, often precipitated by sensing an odor or viewing
another person getting “sick”.
The clinical complaints are often variable between patients, and clinical evaluation
proves negative.
Most people recover quickly and have no long term morbidity, though patients can suffer
self-harm unintentionally.
Symptoms may recur due to lingering anxiety on re-entry, while concentrations of any
noxious (unpleasant) agent or toxic compound is generally less due to ventilation and
the passage of time.
No toxic exposure is identified, or a potential exposure inconsistent with the toxidrome, is
found.
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