Bioterrorism (cont.)
How do I know if I have been exposed to a bioterrorism agent?
The symptoms of illness caused by the different bioterrorism agents are
frequently very nonspecific. Many of the agents cause a "flu-like" illness.
These symptoms would include: fever, cough, nausea, vomiting, and headache. It
is very hard to differentiate many of the different diseases initially, and
tests to confirm the diagnosis often must be done at specialized state
laboratories and may require weeks until the results are received.
It is best to stay informed through local news media on what symptoms to look
for and when to seek medical care. The health-care system simply cannot handle
every member in the community demanding to be tested for the disease. Many
diseases do not even have a treatment other than supportive care which can often
be done at home.
Should I have some antibiotics on hand just in case I get exposed?
While there are a few biological agents that can be prevented by taking
antibiotics (for example, anthrax), it is not recommended that you stockpile
antibiotics. Antibiotics have a limited shelf life and would likely be unusable
by the time the attack occurred. Also, there are many different diseases, each
requiring different antibiotics. All drugs, including antibiotics, have side
effects, and taking them inappropriately could cause more harm than good.
Since the likelihood of a biological attack is small, it is better to wait
until there has been an attack before getting medications. The U.S. government
has stockpiles of drugs that will be immediately flown into a community that has
experienced a biological attack (these supplies are rotated to keep them
current). Additionally, many large communities also have stockpiles of
medications for emergency use.
Last Editorial Review: 10/10/2007
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