Standardized Awareness Authorized Training, Train-the-Trainer Biological Agents

Objectives  Discuss the general characteristics, routes of entry, and signs and symptoms of biological agents.  Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using biological agents for terrorist activity.  Discuss recognition, identification, and classification as they apply to biological emergencies. 1

Objectives (continued)  Identify potential sources in the community where biological agents are manufactured, transported, stored, used, or disposed of.  List five indicators of a possible criminal/terrorist act involving biological materials.  Discuss instructional strategies for facilitating the “Biological Agents” module. 2

Biological Agents  Types  Dissemination  Availability  Routes of entry  General signs and/or symptoms  Mortality  Basic treatment 3

Types of Biological Agents  Bacteria  Viruses  Toxins 4 Courtesy of Janice Haney Carr/CDC Public Health Image Library (PHIL) #10095

Types of Biological Agents (continued) Bacteria  Anthrax  Plague  Tularemia  Q Fever 5

Types of Biological Agents (continued) Viruses  Smallpox  Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF) 6

Types of Biological Agents (continued) Toxins  Ricin; So lethal, very little is needed  Botulinum Toxin 7

Advantages of Using Biological Agents for Terrorist Activity  Availability  Difficulty of detection  Ability to use covertly  Ease of spreading  Typing up resources  Psychological impact  Difficulty of preparing 8

Disadvantages of Using Biological Agents for Terrorist Activity  Delayed effects  Hazardous to terrorist  Numerous difficult steps  Weather conditions affect dispersion  Less predictable results 9

Categories of Biological Agents  Category A—Anthrax, plague, smallpox  Category B—Ricin,Q fever  Category C—Nipah virus,Yellow fever 10

Potential Sources  Nature/agriculture  Hospital, veterinary, and diagnostic laboratories  University research  Food production plants  Industries  Garbage disposal plants  Sewage plants 11 Courtesy of FEMA/G. Mathieson

Indicators of a Biological Incident  Unusual numbers of sick or dying people of animals  Unscheduled and unusual spray being disseminated  Abandoned spray devices 12

Questions For Presentation Preparation  How will you explain the importance of learning this module to your participants?  What do participants need to learn from this module content?  What additional resources can be used to reinforce learning the content in this module?  How will you involve the audience in learning this material?  What safety concerns need to be reinforced in this module? 13

Conclusion  What are the general characteristics, routes of entry, and signs and symptoms of biological agents?  What are the indicators of a possible criminal/terrorist act involving biological materials?  What are indicators of a biological emergency? How would you identify and classify biological agents? 14

Conclusion (continued)  What are some potential sources for the manufacture, transportation, storage, use, or disposal of biological agents in your community?  Name the indicators of a possible criminal/terrorist act involving biological materials.  What are some potential instructional strategies you could use for facilitating the “Biological Agents” module? 15

Standardized Awareness Authorized Training, Train-the-Trainer Biological Agents—End of Module