Medical Management Of Biological Casualties

The purpose for this handbook is to serve as a concise pocket-sized manual that will guide medical personnel in the prophylaxis and management of biological casulties. It is designed as a quick reference and overview, and is not intended as a definitive text on the medical management of biological casualties.

The seventh edition hass been revised and updated to asddress our understanding of medical management for diseases caused by threrat pathogens. Medical professionals learn about effective available medical countermeasures against many of the bacteria, viruses, and toxins that might be used as biological weapons against military forces or civilian communities. The purpose of this handbook is to serve as a concise, pocket-sixed manual that can be pulled off the shelf (or from a pocket) in a crisis to guide medical personnel in the prophylaxis and management of biological casualties. It is designed as a quick reference and overview, and is not intended as a definitive text. A greater in-depth discussion of the agents covered here may be found in the Army Surgeon General's Borden Institute Textbook of Military Medicine, "Medical Aspects of Biological Warfare" (2007) and in relevant infectious disease, tropical medicine, and disaster management extbooks. The Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook, which has been known as the "Blue Book" has been enormously successful. Since the first edition in 1993, the awareness of biological weapons in the U.S. has increased dramatically. Over 190,000 copies have been distributed to military and civilian heathcare providers around the world.

Supplies basic summary and treatment information quickly for the health care provider on the front lines. Provides concise supplemental reading material to assist in education of biological casualty management. Edge indexed.

The purpose for this handbook is to serve as a concise pocket-sized manual that will guide medical personnel in the prophylaxis and management of biological casualties. It is designed as a quick reference and overview, and is not intended as a definitive text on the medical management of biological casualties.

Medical defense against biological warfare or terrorism is an area of study unfamiliar to most military and civilian health care providers during peacetime. In the aftermath of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, it became obvious that the threat of biological attacks against U.S. soldiers was real. Increased incidents and threats of domestic terrorism (e.g., New York City World Trade Center bombing), as well as numerous anthrax hoaxes around the country have brought the issue home to civilians as well. Other issues, including the disclosure of a sophisticated offensive biological warfare program in the former Soviet Union, have reinforced the need for increased training and education of health care professionals on how to prevent and treat biological warfare casualties. The Medical Management of Chemical and Biological Casualties Course taught at both USAMRIID and USAMRICD trains over 560 military medical professionals each year on both biological and chemical medical defense. The highly successful 3-day USAMRIID satellite course on the Medical Management of Biological Casualties has reached over 40,000 medical personnel over the last three years. Through this handbook and the training courses noted above, medical professionals will learn that effective medical countermeasures are available against many of the bacteria, viruses, and toxins that might be used as biological weapons against our military forces or civilian communities. New chapters have been added on melioidosis, the medical management of a biological weapon attack, and the use of epidemiologic clues in determining whether an outbreak might have been intentionally spread. In addition, a reference appendix has been added for those interested in more in-depth reading on this subject. The handbook serves as a concise pocket-sized manual that will guide medical personnel on the front lines in the prophylaxis and management of biological casualties. (89 refs.)