Unit 5 - GFE
What are the six categories used to classify chemical agents? - ANS-Physiological
effects
Military use
Physical state
Persistency
Route of entry
Onset of effects
How are chemical agents categorized based on military use? - ANS-Casualty Causing
Agent (CCA): primary agent used as WMD because of rapid rate of action and tendency
to kill, rather than incapacitate
Incapacitating Agent: produces similar, but less severe effects as casualty causing
agents
Chemical Compound: less toxic than chemical agents, producing temporary disabling or
irritating effects that disappear quickly after exposure ends
How does physical state relate to persistency? - ANS-A chemical agent in a solid state
is more persistent (resistant to evaporation and environmental factors)
What are the symptoms of mild, moderate, and severe nerve agent exposure? -
ANS-Mild: cause pupils to contract to pinpoints, impairs vision, headache, muscle
twitching, chest tightness, secretion of mucous from nose and saliva from mouth
Moderate: difficulty breathing and nausea
Severe: involuntary defecation and urination, convulsions, paralysis of respiratory
muscles, mental impairment, eventually death
Symptoms of blister agent exposure in respiratory tract? - ANS-Irritate mucous
membranes in respiratory tract causing secretions.
Initial symptoms: runny nose, sore throat, and hoarseness. May progress to paralysis of
vocal cords, difficulty in breathing due to swelling and accumulation of mucous
susceptibility to respiratory infections
How do blood agents enter the body? - ANS-Through inhalation.
,How do choking agents affect the body? - ANS-Vapors or gases that irritate and burn
the entire respiratory system when inhaled. Gases damage tissue from inside of nose
and throat down to smallest recesses in the lungs
What are available treatment methods for nerve agent exposure? - ANS-Pretreatment
and antidotes
- PB Pills
- Atropine Sulfate
- 2PAM
- Diazepam
Steps for buddy aid following nerve agent exposure? - ANS-1. Correctly identify severe
symptoms and determine individual unable to administer self aid
2. Don protective mask and ensure casualty's mask is properly adjusted and sealed to
extent practical (if vapor hazard still exists)
3. Locate casualty's atropine sulfate and 2PAM injectors
4. Inject casualty with all six injections.
5. If required, locate corpsman to administer the CANA auto injector
6. Notify medical, and move casualty to the CCA as soon as practical
What immediate actions should be taken in the event of a blood agent exposure? -
ANS-Immediately stop breathing and don protective mask. Clear the mask by forcefully
exhaling after it is donned and prior to the first inhalation. Report to CCA if symptoms
noted.
Two categories of biological agents - ANS-Pathogens: microscopic organisms that can
cause disease in humans, animals, or plants
Toxins: chemical compounds of biological origin that can be lethal when inhaled or
ingested.
What are the possible delivery methods of Biological Warfare (BW) agents - ANS-1.
Aerosol
2. Contamination on food/water/supplies
3. Injection
What are environmental factors that affect toxin and pathogen aerosols? - ANS-1. UV
light
2. Humidity
, 3. High wind speeds
4. Atmospheric pollutants
5. Low temperatures
What are the routes that biological agents can enter the body? - ANS-1. Respiratory
Exposure (inhalation)
2. Alimentary Exposure (ingestion)
3. Dermal Exposure (percutaneous)
Describe the three characteristics that determine the suitability of pathogens for use as
BW agents. - ANS-1. Viability: ability to live in storage, then to reproduce itself after
dissemination
2. Communicability: ability to be transferred from one individual to another
3. Incubation Period: time required for pathogen to establish themselves in the body of
the host and to produce disease symptoms
What are the most common methods of transmission for pathogens? - ANS-1. Aerosol,
coughing, sneezing, breathing
2. Direct contact with infected host
3. Contamination of food supplies by personnel who have become infected hosts
4. Transmission by vectors
What are the six types of pathogens and which two are most likely to be potential BW
agents? - ANS-1. Bacteria: anthrax, tularmia, plague
2. Rickettsiae: typhus, rocky mountain spotted fever
3. Viruses: small pox, ebola, etc
4. Protozoa:
5. Prions:
6. Fungi:
What two pathogens have vaccination requirements as mandated by the DoD and what
are the requirements? - ANS-Anthrax: required for DoD personnel and assigned to or
deploying to CENTCOM AoR and Korean Peninsula for 15 or more consecutive days
Smallpox: required for DoD personnel and contractors assigned to or deploying Korean
Peninsula for 15 days or longer (no longer required)
What characteristics make some toxins ideal candidates for use as a BW agents? -
ANS-1. Stability in storage without loss of toxicity
2. High toxicity
3. Persistency in the environment
What are the six categories used to classify chemical agents? - ANS-Physiological
effects
Military use
Physical state
Persistency
Route of entry
Onset of effects
How are chemical agents categorized based on military use? - ANS-Casualty Causing
Agent (CCA): primary agent used as WMD because of rapid rate of action and tendency
to kill, rather than incapacitate
Incapacitating Agent: produces similar, but less severe effects as casualty causing
agents
Chemical Compound: less toxic than chemical agents, producing temporary disabling or
irritating effects that disappear quickly after exposure ends
How does physical state relate to persistency? - ANS-A chemical agent in a solid state
is more persistent (resistant to evaporation and environmental factors)
What are the symptoms of mild, moderate, and severe nerve agent exposure? -
ANS-Mild: cause pupils to contract to pinpoints, impairs vision, headache, muscle
twitching, chest tightness, secretion of mucous from nose and saliva from mouth
Moderate: difficulty breathing and nausea
Severe: involuntary defecation and urination, convulsions, paralysis of respiratory
muscles, mental impairment, eventually death
Symptoms of blister agent exposure in respiratory tract? - ANS-Irritate mucous
membranes in respiratory tract causing secretions.
Initial symptoms: runny nose, sore throat, and hoarseness. May progress to paralysis of
vocal cords, difficulty in breathing due to swelling and accumulation of mucous
susceptibility to respiratory infections
How do blood agents enter the body? - ANS-Through inhalation.
,How do choking agents affect the body? - ANS-Vapors or gases that irritate and burn
the entire respiratory system when inhaled. Gases damage tissue from inside of nose
and throat down to smallest recesses in the lungs
What are available treatment methods for nerve agent exposure? - ANS-Pretreatment
and antidotes
- PB Pills
- Atropine Sulfate
- 2PAM
- Diazepam
Steps for buddy aid following nerve agent exposure? - ANS-1. Correctly identify severe
symptoms and determine individual unable to administer self aid
2. Don protective mask and ensure casualty's mask is properly adjusted and sealed to
extent practical (if vapor hazard still exists)
3. Locate casualty's atropine sulfate and 2PAM injectors
4. Inject casualty with all six injections.
5. If required, locate corpsman to administer the CANA auto injector
6. Notify medical, and move casualty to the CCA as soon as practical
What immediate actions should be taken in the event of a blood agent exposure? -
ANS-Immediately stop breathing and don protective mask. Clear the mask by forcefully
exhaling after it is donned and prior to the first inhalation. Report to CCA if symptoms
noted.
Two categories of biological agents - ANS-Pathogens: microscopic organisms that can
cause disease in humans, animals, or plants
Toxins: chemical compounds of biological origin that can be lethal when inhaled or
ingested.
What are the possible delivery methods of Biological Warfare (BW) agents - ANS-1.
Aerosol
2. Contamination on food/water/supplies
3. Injection
What are environmental factors that affect toxin and pathogen aerosols? - ANS-1. UV
light
2. Humidity
, 3. High wind speeds
4. Atmospheric pollutants
5. Low temperatures
What are the routes that biological agents can enter the body? - ANS-1. Respiratory
Exposure (inhalation)
2. Alimentary Exposure (ingestion)
3. Dermal Exposure (percutaneous)
Describe the three characteristics that determine the suitability of pathogens for use as
BW agents. - ANS-1. Viability: ability to live in storage, then to reproduce itself after
dissemination
2. Communicability: ability to be transferred from one individual to another
3. Incubation Period: time required for pathogen to establish themselves in the body of
the host and to produce disease symptoms
What are the most common methods of transmission for pathogens? - ANS-1. Aerosol,
coughing, sneezing, breathing
2. Direct contact with infected host
3. Contamination of food supplies by personnel who have become infected hosts
4. Transmission by vectors
What are the six types of pathogens and which two are most likely to be potential BW
agents? - ANS-1. Bacteria: anthrax, tularmia, plague
2. Rickettsiae: typhus, rocky mountain spotted fever
3. Viruses: small pox, ebola, etc
4. Protozoa:
5. Prions:
6. Fungi:
What two pathogens have vaccination requirements as mandated by the DoD and what
are the requirements? - ANS-Anthrax: required for DoD personnel and assigned to or
deploying to CENTCOM AoR and Korean Peninsula for 15 or more consecutive days
Smallpox: required for DoD personnel and contractors assigned to or deploying Korean
Peninsula for 15 days or longer (no longer required)
What characteristics make some toxins ideal candidates for use as a BW agents? -
ANS-1. Stability in storage without loss of toxicity
2. High toxicity
3. Persistency in the environment
