Bioterrorism and white powders

Bioterrorism can turn almost anything into a weapon.

• FBI tried to identify mysterious white powder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isA3Uj5d0Mg (1:24min)

What kinds of “science” can a forensic lab assistant do to help the FBI case shown in the video?

What do you think a forensic lab technician does?

What skills or educational background do you think a forensic lab technician needs?

• The CDC defines bioterrorism as “the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, and other germs (agents) used to cause illness or death.”

• Instead of bombs bioterrorists use plague; instead of guns they use anthrax.

• With bioterrorism, the typical instruments we associate with aggression and war are no longer relevant. The source of our fear may be a vial of perfume or a fine white powder—even an umbrella.

How?

• The most probably method for spread of bioweapons is aerial transmission, continuing into water supplies and food.

Secretary of Health and Human Services

• Make awards of grants or cooperative agreements to be expended to develop bioterrorism response plans and provide training for responding to biological attacks.

• Make grants to eligible entities to carry out demonstration programs to improve the detection of pathogens likely to be used in a bioterrorist attack, the development of plans and measures to respond to bioterrorist attacks, and the training of personnel involved with various responsibilities and capabilities needed to respond to acts of bioterrorism upon the civilian population.

• Establish a working group on the prevention, preparedness, and response to bioterrorism.

• Provide technical or other assistance, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, to provide security to persons or facilities that conduct development, production, distribution, or storage of priority countermeasures.

CDC--Center for Disease Control

• Class A—the highest priority—are diseases that can be transmitted between people and have high mortality rates, such as anthrax and smallpox.

• Class B and Class C aren’t nearly so scary; in fact, they only require enhanced surveillance, not action to protect the public

Bioterrorism Act of 2002• The law authorizes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS) to take action to protect the nation’s food supply against the threat of intentional contamination. The FDA, as the food regulatory arm of HHS, is responsible for developing and implementing these food safety measures.

- See more at: • http://www1.search-results.com/videos?apn_dtid=%5EBND406%5EYY

%5EUS&apn_dbr=&itbv=&crxv=&atb=sysid%3D406%3Aappid%3D352%3Auid%3D9a4bbc8087a76630%3Auc%3D1371827980%3Asrc%3Dieb%3Ao%3DAPN10645&hdoi=&apn_ptnrs=AG6&o=APN10645&l=dis&lang=en&gct=ds&tbv=&tpid=&shad=s_0041&q=bioterrorism&trgb=&apn_sauid=&hpds=&apn_uid=2251460450504734&tpr=10&doi=

• http://terrorism.uslegal.com/bioterrorism-act/#sthash.1SvIkul5.dpuf

Ricin

• The poison ricin is derived from castor beans. It's classified as a Class B bioterror agent, meaning it isn't as potentially deadly as some other agents, like anthrax and smallpox

(Getty Images)

Ricin

• This potent killer first made headlines back in 1978 when the dissident Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov was murdered with an umbrella as he waited for a bus in London. The umbrella, rigged with a hidden weapon in the tip, injected a poison capsule under the writer’s skin. Very James Bond.

Plague

Most Common Forms of Plague

• Bubonic plague -- an infection of the lymph nodes• Pneumonic plague -- an infection of the lungs• Septicemic plague -- an infection of the blood

• The time between being infected and developing symptoms is typically 2 to 7 days, but may be as short as 1 day for pneumonic plague.

• Risk factors for plague include a recent flea bite and exposure to rodents, especially rabbits, squirrels, or prairie dogs, or scratches or bites from infected domestic cats

• Without treatment, about 50% of people with bubonic plague die.

• Almost all people with pneumonic plague die if not treated. Treatment reduces the death rate to 50%.

Brucellosis

• Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria from the genus Brucella.

• It is an infection that affects mainly animals, including goats, sheep, camels, pigs, elk, deer, cattle, and dogs.

• Humans develop brucellosis when they come in contact with contaminated animals or animal products. The symptoms of brucellosis often resemble a flu-like illness.

Use as a Biological Weapon

• In the mid-20th century, the Brucella bacteria was also developed for use as a biological weapon by the United States.

• The use of brucellosis for biological warfare purposes was later banned in 1969 by President Nixon

Transmitted

• By eating contaminated raw cheese and milk products

• Inhalation of aerosolized secretions, through breaks in the skin, or through exposure of the mucous membranes/conjunctiva from the splashing of infected secretions

A serious paralytic illnessCaused by a nerve toxin that is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and sometimes by strains of Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium baratii.

There are five main kinds of botulism.1. Foodborne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulinum toxin. 2. Wound botulism is caused by toxin produced from a wound infected with Clostridium

botulinum. 3. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of the botulinum bacteria, which

then grow in the intestines and release toxin. 4. Adult intestinal toxemia (adult intestinal colonization) botulism is a very rare kind of

botulism that occurs among adults by the same route as infant botulism. 5. Latrogenic botulism can occur from accidental overdose of botulinum toxin.

All forms of botulism can be fatal and are considered medical emergencies. Foodborne botulism is a public health emergency because many people can be poisoned by eating a contaminated food.

Smallpox

• The World Health Organization (WHO) declared in 1980 that smallpox has been erraticated.

• At that time, all remaining collected supplies of the smallpox virus were supposed to be destroyed or sequestered in two laboratories, one in the United States and one in Russia

• Poxviruses are the only viruses that do not need a cell's nucleus to replicate inside the cell.

• The variola virus is the only known cause of smallpox.

• The disease affects only humans• The virus is acquired from inhalation (breathing

into the lungs). Virus particles can remain on such items as clothing, bedding, and surfaces for up to one week.

What is Anthrax?

• Bacillus Anthracis– Spores– Bacteria

Knight Ridder/Tribune News/UCLA School of Public Health Dept. of Epidemiology

What Diseases are Caused by Anthrax?

• Cutaneous– Most common naturally occurring form– Low mortality

• Gastrointestinal– Results from eating contaminated, undercooked meat– Up to 50% mortality if untreated

• Inhalational– Most likely in bioterrorism– High mortality without prompt treatment

Inhalation Anthrax

• Onset of symptoms 2 days up to 60 days post-exposure

• Antibiotics most effective before onset of symptoms

• LD50 about 8000 spores– Infective dose probably less than 10 spores in susceptible persons

History of Anthrax

• Biblical plagues– Fifth and Sixth Plagues in Exodus Believed to be

Anthrax• Animal disease– Endemic to horses, cows, goats, sheep– Economically important agricultural disease

Natural Incidence of Anthrax

• Most common in temperate agricultural regions– Rare in US– More common in India and southern Africa• Human infection unusual

– 95% is cutaneous– Result of contact with infected animals

Naturally Occurring Human Anthrax

• Endemic in south/central Asia, central America, southern Africa

• Several thousand human cases each year – Always associated with livestock– Often associated with war

• Largest human outbreak

Zimbabwe 1978-1980

Development of Anthrax as a Biological Weapon

• Historical use

• US and UK Development

• Soviet Development

Sverdlovsk Outbreak, 1979

• Spores accidentally released from army microbiology lab

• 96 Infected, 66 Dead• All victims lived or worked in a narrow band

downwind from lab– Human casualties within 4 km– Animal deaths extended to 50 km downwind

Late 1990s: Rising incidence of Mailed Anthrax Hoaxes

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US Hoaxes

...the hundreds of anthrax hoaxes involving envelopes filled with harmless powders lack a plausible delivery system and hence are more of a nuisance than a serious danger.

Jonathan TuckerToxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons, 2000

The Anthrax Letters

• Five Known Letters to Media and Political Targets– Four letters recovered, mailed on two dates from

Trenton, NJ• Letters Contained ~1g anthrax– Fine particle size– Treated to Enhance Dispersion

Anthrax Letters: Effects

• Anthrax in Second Mailing– <5 micron size– Escaped through pores in envelopes– Contamination throughout US postal service– Cross-contamination to many other letters

• Most illnesses and all but one death resulted from spores leaking through envelopes

Anthrax Letters: Casualties

• 5 dead from inhalational anthrax• 17 ill– 11 cutaneous– 6 inhalational

• 10000 people taking antibiotics• All but few survivors still suffering effects

Anthrax Letters: Effect on Business

• >500 reports of anthrax per day– Investigations– Facility Closures

• Side Effects from Cipro– 57% reported serious side effects– 26% missed work

Anthrax Letters: Cleanup Costs

• AMI Building in Boca Raton remains shuttered• Clean-up of Hart Senate Office Building cost

$41.7 million– Building was closed for three months

• 23 US Postal Service Facilities Contaminated– Clean-up costs estimated at $800 million

Hoaxes and Suspicious Packages Post 9/11

• 2001 before 9/11, 368 incidents, including one simultaneous mailing of 350 letters

• 2001 after 9/11, 7089 hoaxes and other reports of suspicious substances

Hoaxes and Suspicious Packages Post 9/11

• 2001 before 9/11, 368 incidents, including one simultaneous mailing of 350 letters

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After the Anthrax Mailings, Everything is Taken Seriously

• Any suspicious powder received full response• FBI director reported that agents responded

to over 29,000 reports in the year following the attack

• Practical jokes and powdered sugar merited hazmat crews

• Attacks inspired other hoaxers

Suspicious Powder: Response

• First Responders including hazmat teams and FBI arrive

• Area is evacuated and possibly closed• Field tests are done– If positive, those exposed are decontaminated

• Suspicious package is sent to CDC-certified lab for testing

Hoaxes Continue Today

• FBI's National Capital Response Squad responds to 5-10 reports per week of suspicious substances in Washington area

• U.S. Capitol Police respond to 3-10 reports per day on Capitol Hill

Washington Post, 13 April 2004

Sometimes the Threat is Real

• Ricin in ‘Fallen Angel’ Letters– Intercepted at mail handling facility Greenville SC

10/03– Intercepted at White House mail handling facility

Washington DC 11/03• Ricin in Senator Frist’s Office 2/04– No source letter found

USPS Guidelines for Suspicious Mail

What to do if you see Suspicious Powder

• If parcel is closed, don’t open or shake it• Isolate area of package or powder• Turn off fans or ventilation units and shut

down the air handling system in the building • Keep track of who has had contact with the

powder• Call 911

Would USPS Guidelines Have Helped to Recognize Anthrax Letters?

USPS Protective Measures

• Procedures– Off-site handling for potential targets– Irradiation of Government Mail

• Hazardous material detection– BDS in distribution centers– Detects anthrax only– Can potentially be modified to detect other hazards

Selected References

• Office of the Surgeon General, US Army Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare. Washington 1997

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Emergency Preparedness Website http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/index.asp

• Cole, Leonard A. The Anthrax Letters: A Medical Detective Story. Washington: Joseph Henry Press 2003

• Meselson, Matthew et al. “The Sverdlovsk Anthrax Outbreak of 1979” Science, November 18,1994

• Tucker, Jonathan Toxic Terror: Assessing Terrorist Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons Cambridge: Belfer Center 2000