Biological warfare trichothecene mycotoxins

Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) has recently been approved for procurement by the U.S. military (F-Z-EM 2007). RSDL is currently marketed by E-Z-EM, Inc. and is a patented, broad spectrum, skin decontamination lotion that is used to remove or neutralize chemical threat agents and biological warfare agents such as trichothecene mycotoxin (T2 toxin), which can cause severe skin and eye irritation. RSDL was originally developed by the Canadian Defense Research Establishment and consists of 1.25 molar potassium 2,3-butanedione monoximate in poly-etheylene glycol monoethyl ethers with 10% w/v water (Sabourin et al. 2001 Lukey et al. 2004). 

Wannemacher, R.W. and Weiner, S.L. (1997). Trichothecene mycotoxins. In Textbook of Military Medicine, Part I Warfare, Weaponry, and the Casualty, Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare. SideU, E.R., Takafugi, E.T., and Franz, D.R. (eds). Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., pp. 655-676. 

Decontamination of personnel and equipment after a biological warfare attack is a lesser concern than after a chemical warfare attack because most biological warfare agents are not dermally active (the trichothecene mycotoxins are an exception). Still, decontamination remains an effective way to decrease the spread of infection from potential secondary aerosolization. 

The trichothecene mycotoxins, which are toxins produced by various species of fungi, are also examples of low-molecular-weight toxins (MW < 1,000 d). The yellow rain incidents in Southeast Asia in the early 1980s are believed to have demonstrated the utility of one of the trichothecene mycotoxins, T-2, as a biological warfare agent. 

The evidence supports the contention that trichothecene mycotoxins were used as biological warfare agents in Southeast Asia and Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union and its surrogates. The... 

In contrast, the symptoms and clinical signs of trichothecene intoxication can vary depending on whether the exposure is acute or chronic. Acute exposure to trichothecene mycotoxins used as biological warfare agents is the major concern for military medicine, but for continuity and historical implications, chronic intoxication will also be addressed in this chapter. 

Chronic exposure to subacute doses of trichothecene mycotoxins is not thought to be an effect of biological warfare. This type of exposure, however, was responsible for ATA toxicosis in humans and mycotoxicosis in domestic animals. In addition, chronic toxicity has been iatrogenically induced when repeated subacute doses of a trichothecene mycotoxin were administrated intravenously to cancer patients as a chemotherapy for colon adenocarcinoma. Alimentary Toxic Aleukia Toxicosis... 

The following events should suggest to medical officers that a biological warfare attack with trichothecene mycotoxins has occurred ... 

To overcome the difficulties encountered with the bioassays and TLC methods, immunoassays using specific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies have been developed for most of the major trichothecene mycotoxins and their metabolites.73 These antibodies have been used to produce simple, sensitive, and specific radioimmunoassays (RIAs) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the mycotoxins. In the presence of the sample matrix, the lower detection limits for identification of trichothecene mycotoxins by RIA is about 2 to 5 ppb73 and by ELISA, 1 ppb.74 We conclude that immunoassays are useful tools for screening biomedical samples for evidence of a biological warfare attack with trichothecene mycotoxins. 

Wannemacher RW, Winer SL Trichothecene Mycotoxins. In Sidell RR, Taka-fuji ET, Franz DR, editors. Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare. Washington DC Office of the Surgeon General at TMM Publications 1977. p 655-676. 

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