TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Biological Weapons A1 - Suchard, Jeffrey R. A2 - Hoffman, Robert S. A2 - Howland, Mary Ann A2 - Lewin, Neal A. A2 - Nelson, Lewis S. A2 - Goldfrank, Lewis R. Y1 - 2015 N1 - T2 - Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies, 10e AB - Expertise in dealing with biological weapons requires specific knowledge from the fields of infectious disease, epidemiology, toxicology, and public health. Biological and chemical warfare agents share many characteristics in common, including intent of use, some dispersion methods, and ­initial defense based on adequate personal protective equipment and decontamination (Tables 132–2 and 132–3). However, key differences between biological and chemical weapons involve a greater delay in onset of clinical symptoms after exposure to biological weapons; that is, the incubation period for most bioweapons (BWs) is greater than the latent period for most chemical warfare agents. Decontamination is less crucial for victims exposed to BWs than to chemical warfare agents. Additionally, a few BWs can reproduce in the human host and cause secondary casualties, and ­disease ­following exposure to several of these agents can be prevented by the timely administration of prophylactic medications. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/04/20 UR - accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1108438008 ER -