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Ricin: Prepared By:marwa Najm Supervised By: DR Shorsh

Ricin is a highly toxic protein extracted from castor beans. It can be used as a biological weapon in powder, pellet, or mist form to poison through inhalation, ingestion, or injection. A dose the size of a pinhead can kill if injected. There is no antidote, so treatment focuses on symptom relief. Healthcare workers risk exposure from contaminated patients and must follow protective protocols. While ricin poses serious health risks, survival rates increase significantly after 5 days and most deaths occur within 3 days of exposure. Proper preparation and coordination between law enforcement and health agencies is important in response to ricin incidents.

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Shakila Hamid
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152 views15 pages

Ricin: Prepared By:marwa Najm Supervised By: DR Shorsh

Ricin is a highly toxic protein extracted from castor beans. It can be used as a biological weapon in powder, pellet, or mist form to poison through inhalation, ingestion, or injection. A dose the size of a pinhead can kill if injected. There is no antidote, so treatment focuses on symptom relief. Healthcare workers risk exposure from contaminated patients and must follow protective protocols. While ricin poses serious health risks, survival rates increase significantly after 5 days and most deaths occur within 3 days of exposure. Proper preparation and coordination between law enforcement and health agencies is important in response to ricin incidents.

Uploaded by

Shakila Hamid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ricin

Prepared by:marwa najm Supervised by: dr shorsh

2020_2019
?What is ricin
• Ricin is a powerful protein toxin naturally found
In castor beans.
• It can be in the form of a pellet, powder, mist or
can be dissolved in water, food or weak acids.
• Per gram, it is 6,000 times more potent than
cyanide.
• Ricin is considered both a biological and
• chemical agent by the CDC.
Ricin in history
• 1940-US military experimented using Ricin as
a warfare agent.
• 1978- Influential Bulgarian writer and
journalist, Georgi Markov assassinated after
being injected with Ricin by umbrella.
• 1981-present- 20 incidents of ricin have been
reported in both the U.S. and Britain.
?How much is deadly
• If injected, the amount
the size of a head of a pin can kill you.
• Much more would be needed to kill someone
by Ingestion or inhalation.
• There is no known antidote or cure.
• Medical treatment is for symptoms.
Signs&symptoms:inhalation
• Only a few hours after inhalation
• Severe lung damage
• Respiratory distress
• Fluid in the lungs
• Cough
• Fever
• Nausea
• Tightness in chest
Signs&symptoms:ingestion
• Bloody vomit and stool
• Severe dehydration
• Fever
• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Cramping
• Potential liver, spleen and kidney failure
Signs&symptoms:skin/eye
exposure
• Redness
• Pain
• Irritation
• Fever
• Congestion
• Seizures
• Heart failure
• Coughing
Protect yourself
• Do not touch, move, or open any suspicious
packages or envelopes.
• Isolate suspicious packages, envelopes or
other items.
• If exposed, remove clothing and wash exposed
skin with soap and water.
• seek medical attention immediately.
?What happens next
• Any ricin incident should be treated as a
terrorist/criminal incident until proven otherwise.
• Notify the local law enforcement agency.
• Following initial response the FBI, HAZMAT,DHS
(Department of Homeland Security), HSOC
(Homeland Security Operations Center), HHS
(Human and Health Services), CDC,NRC (National
Response Center), and USPS will all be contacted.
• WOAH THIS IS A SERIOUS THREAT!
Healthcare employees
• Healthcare workers risk occupational exposures to
ricin when a healthcare facility receives
contaminated patients.
• These healthcare facility employees, who may be
termed first receivers, work at a site remote from the
location where the hazardous substance release
occurred.
• This means that their exposures are limited to the
substances transported to the healthcare facility on
victims skin, hair, clothing, or personal effects.
Be prepared
• The best way to be prepared in a incident of
ricin is for everyone involved to have
knowledge and information.
• Have a plan!
Treating those exposed to ricin
• Remember, there is no existing antidote.
• Provide supportive medical care to minimize the effects.
• Type of supportive care is dependent on the route of
exposure and the degree of cellular disruption.
• Assist with breathing
• IV fluids
• Flush stomach
• Medications for seizures, blood pressure and pain
• Nutritional support
Possible nursing diagnosis
• Ineffective Breathing Pattern
• Impaired Gas Exchange
• Risk for Aspiration
• Risk for Decreased Cardiac Output
• Risk for Deficient Fluid Volume
• Nausea
• Acute pain
• Anxiety
• Impaired Comfort
• Fear
• Knowledge Deficit
• Risk for Social Isolation
• And the list goes on
The good news
• Ricin is classified as a Category B agent, which
means it can result in moderate morbidity rates
and low mortality rates.
• There is a good chance of survival!
• If death occurs it usually takes place within36-72
hours after exposure, depending on the route
and amount of the toxin victim is exposed to.
• Recovery rate increases greatly after surviving
five days.
Reference
• http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/facts.asp
• https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/Emergenc
yResponseCard_29750002.html
• https://www.ready.gov/biological-threats
• https://www.medicinenet.com/ricin/article.ht
m
• emergency.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/pdf/ricin_prot
ocol.pdf

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