1. Biological Incidents Awareness
Version 2.1

2. Enabling Learning Objectives
Terms of biological incident scale
Three types of biological incidents
Biological incidents in recent history

3. Common Misconceptions and Fears
It is very unlikely.
No one would do that.
It would be too hard to do.
I do not want to think about it.

4. Education Is the Key It could really happen. It has been done before.
I can prepare for this.
I will know what to do.

5. Disease Scale
pandemic
epidemic
outbreak
baseline

6. Biological Agents and Incidents
A microorganism or a toxin derived from a living organism
Biological incident
A harmful occurrence that involves a biological agent
CDC PHIL #
Photo: #11750

7. Types of Biological Incidents

8. Naturally Occurring Incidents
Occur as a result of nature with no human cause or intervention
Typically occur in
Predictable season
Expected locations

9. Accidental Incidents Result from human error or technology
Unintentional
Man-made
Potentially occur in
Unexpected season
Unexpected locations

10. Intentional Incidents
Purposefully caused by humans with the intent to do harm
Crime
Potentially occur in
Unexpected season
Unexpected locations
Multiple locations

11. Types of Intentional Incidents
Biocrime
Biowarfare
Bioterrorism

12. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk 19:
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

13. Spanish Influenza Pandemic 1918
20–40% of world’s population ill
50 million deaths worldwide; 675,000 in US
Caused by mutation of flu virus
Slide 13 in book
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:

14. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

15. Sverdlovsk Anthrax Release 1979
Biowarfare facility
Worker failed to replace vent filter
At least 68 deaths, possibly over 100 deaths, due to inhalation anthrax
Slide 14 in book
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35

16. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

17. Rajneeshees Use Salmonella 1984
Cultivated Salmonella typhimurium, which causes diarrheal illness
Contaminated local salad bars
Attempted to influence local election
750 ill, no deaths
Slide 15 in book
Restaurants:
Rajneesh:
Sheela Anand:
bioterrorism

18. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

19. Diane Thompson 1996
Lab technician had access to Shigella bacteria culture
Mixed Shigella into icing and offered contaminated pastries to coworkers
12 illnesses resulted; 4 people were hospitalized
Slide 16 in book
Diane Thompson:
Coffee and pastries: MS Office Clipart
biocrime

20. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

21. West Nile Virus 1999
First detected in the western hemisphere in 1999 in flamingoes at the Bronx Zoo
It can be carried and transmitted by mosquitos.
By 2011, it had resulted in 31,392 cases and at least 1,263 deaths.
It is now endemic in the continental US.
Slide 17 in book
Flamingo: MS Office clipart
mosquito:

22. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

23. Anthrax Letters 2001
Letters contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores were mailed to various media and political personalities
22 cases resulted; 5 people died
Slide 18 in book
Anthrax letter:
Letter with technician:
bioterrorism

24. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

25. Monkeypox Outbreak 2003
Of first 53 infected, 50 had contact with infected prairie dog pets
71 cases, no deaths
Slide 19 in book
Prairie dog:

26. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

27. Peanut Corporation of America: Salmonella 2009
714 infected, 9 deaths
One of the largest recalls in history
PCA may have been aware of contamination
Slide 20 in book
PCA:
Peanuts: MS Office Clipart

28. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

29. H1N1 Pandemic 2009 Strain first appeared in the US in April 2009.
By July 2009, there had been
168 countries affected,
162,380 cases, and
1,154 deaths worldwide.
Slide 21 in book
H1n1 map:
H1n1 macro of virus:

30. Recent Biological Incidents
1918
1984
1979
2001
1999
1996
Spanish flu: Prevent disease poster man covering cough:
Sverdlovsk Compound 19: photo courtesy of Dr. Martin E. Hugh-Jones, ERDBI v3.1 Slide 4-35
Rajneesh:
Anthrax letter:
mosquito:
Diane Thompson:
Prairie dog:
PCA:
H1n1:
2003
2008-9
2009

31. medical community public health emergency management law enforcement
accidental
intentional
public health
biocrime
bioterrorism
biowarfare
epidemic
emergency management
pandemic
natural
law enforcement
outbreak

32. Recognize warning signs
Be Ready; Act Quickly
Recognize warning signs
Report quickly
Protect yourself

34. Summary
The scale of diseases can be defined by the terms baseline, outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic.
Biological incidents can be naturally occurring, accidental, or intentional.
Biological incidents of all types have occurred in recent history.
Recognize, protect, and report; if you see something, say something!

35. Biological Agents: Effects, Treatments, and Usage
Coming Up Next
Biological Agents: Effects, Treatments, and Usage