1. Poisons

2. Toxins Poisons produced naturally by organisms
Can cause: nausea, vomiting, paralysis, convulsions, death

3. Insect toxins – mild swelling, itchiness
If allergic – dizzy, weak, confused, unconscious, dead

4. Metal Poisoning Ingestion, inhalation, absorption
Stored in soft tissues
Binds to organic molecules in cells, so molecules now don’t function right
Leads to cell death
Most serious - arsenic, lead, mercury, antimony, thallium

5. Ingested Poisons
90% at home – young kids swallowing household products
Absorbed thru lining of digestive tract

6. Inhaled Poisons CO – replaces O2 in hemoglobin of RBCs  asphyxiation
Symptoms: dizziness, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, death
Sarin (nerve gas) – interferes w/ nerve impulses quickly
Symptoms: convulsions,
respiratory failure, death
Can be treated if quick

7. Injected Poisons
Heroin – instant euphoria, then drowsiness and sense of well-being
In brain, converted to morphine
Respiratory centers in brain become depressed  respiratory arrest

8. Absorbed Poisons Thru skin, eyes, mucous membranes
Symptoms: redness, irritation, blisters, death
Ex. Poison sumac – rash
Ex. Mustard gas – blisters or
difficulty breathing or blindness

9. Bioterrorism Ricin – injection, inhalation, or ingestion
In body - inactivates ribosomes – cells die
On skin – only fatal if mixed w/ solvent
Inhaled – coughing, chest tightness, fever (w/in hours); resp cells die  resp failure
Ingested – lesions on digestive tract  pain, nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea
Death – 3-5 days

10. Anthrax – bacterial spores
Ingestion – rare – raw meat of infected animal
- symptoms: abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea
On skin – blisters, not fatal; from contact with contaminated soil or animals

11. Inhalation – deadliest – airborne dried bacterial spores
- latent period, then fever, chills, shortness of breath, headache; chest & abdominal pain; lungs fill with fluid; shock
- in 80% of cases, death = 3-7 days after first symptom

12. Vaccines available for some bioterrorism agents
CDC and Homeland Security involved