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Ricin
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Toxin Castor plant - Ricinus communis − From processing waste Castor beans for oil − Very stable − In several forms Powder, mist, pellet, dissolved in water or weak acid − Irreversibly blocks protein synthesis − Potential medical uses
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History
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 History World War I − Considered for use as weapon by US 1978: London − Assassination of Bulgarian exile, Georgi Markov 1991: Minnesota − Patriot’s Council plot to kill US Marshal
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 History Iran-Iraq war − Reports of ricin use − Found in Al Qaeda caves in Afghanistan 2003 − Ricin found in London apartment 2004 − Toxin found in Senator’s office − Found in letter; source unknown
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Transmission
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Transmission Three routes − Inhalation − Ingestion − Injection Person-to-person transmission does not occur
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Human Disease
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Signs and Symptoms Inhalation − Incubation less than 8 hours Ingestion − Incubation few hours to few days Injection − Incubation immediate to hours
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Clinical Symptoms Inhalation − Cough, weakness, fever, nausea, muscle aches, chest pain and cyanosis − Pulmonary edema, 18-24 hours after inhalation − Severe respiratory distress − Death from hypoxemia, 36-72 hours
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Clinical Symptoms Ingestion − Least toxic form − Less toxic if castor beans swallowed whole − Severe GI symptoms, 1-2 hours − Rapid heartbeat − Internal bleeding − Vascular collapse − Death occurs in 3 days or more
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Clinical Symptoms Injection − Local pain and necrosis at site of injection − Systemic signs similar to those of ingestion
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Diagnosis Based on clinical symptoms ELISA − Serum or respiratory secretions Immunohistochemistry − Tissues Serology for retrospective diagnosis − Ricin is very immunogenic
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Treatment No treatment, vaccine or antisera currently available Supportive care − Dependent on route of exposure − Ventilator − Gastric lavage or cathartics
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Animals and Ricin
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Animals Affected Affects all domestic animals Horses most susceptible − Lethal dose 0.01% of body weight in seeds Chickens, ducks and frogs somewhat insensitive to toxin
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Clinical Signs Inhalation − Pulmonary edema − Respiratory distress − Death 36-72 hours
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Clinical Signs Ingestion − Most common route Initial clinical signs − Frequent and violent vomiting, diarrhea, depression, weakness and shortness of breath − Salivation, trembling and incordination Some affected animals may recover − With or without treatment
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Diagnosis and Treatment Diagnosis and treatment in animals similar to humans Experimental vaccines and antitoxins promising but not yet available
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Control and Protection Research on vaccines and antisera Decontaminate exposed skin − Soap and water and/or − 0.1% sodium hypochlorite (bleach) Protective mask − Effective against aerosol exposure Standard precautions − Should be used by healthcare workers
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Ricin as a Biological Weapon Extreme ease of production Widely available Relatively high toxicity Currently no treatment − Supportive care only
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Acknowledgments Development of this presentation was funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University.
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Center for Food Security and Public Health Iowa State University - 2004 Acknowledgments Author: Co-author: Reviewer: Jamie Snow, DVM, MPH Radford Davis, DVM, MPH Jean Gladon, BS
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