Decontamination guinea pigs

Gold, M.B., Bongiovanni, R., Scharf, B.A. (1993). Hypochlorite solution as a decontaminant in sulfur mustard contaminated skin defects in the euthymic hairless guinea pig. Proceedings of the U.S. Army Medical Defense Bioscience Review, Baltimore, MD, pp. 369-78. 

The mixture was tested in the guinea pig model, where fur was shaved on the side of the animal one day before exposing the skin of the anesthetized animals to neat GD or VX (Lukey et al, 2004). The animals were decontaminated 1 min later with sterile gauze soaked in the combined solution in a defined manner the contaminated side was wiped across the exposure site in the direction of the shaved... 

Mathieu, L., Burgher, F., Hall, A.H. (2007). Diphoterine chemical splash decontamination solution skin sensitization study in the guinea pig. Cutan. Ocul. Toxicol. 26 181-7. 

Decontamination of conventional wounds in a contaminated environment continues to be a major concern. Researchers have looked at the effect of bleach decontamination on damaged skin exposed to CWAs. Gold et al. (1994) evaluated the effects of water or diluted bleach (0.5%) as a wound decontaminant 2 min after hairless guinea pig was exposed to sulfur mustard. The study found that 0.5% hypochlorite and even water soaking for 5 min in a wound contaminated with sulfur mustard (20 mg/kg) cause greater necrosis than when no decontamination was carried out. This does not mean that the wound should not be decontaminated but rather that bleach soaking in the wound is not the route to decontaminant. 

Recent studies in the clipped haired guinea pig model using 1% soapy water and a 2 min decontamination delay demonstrated protective ratios for soman, cyclosarin, VX, and VR of 2.2, 6.0, 16, and 27, respectively (Braue, 2006 Hanssen et al., 2006). 

Several decontaminants are readily available for CWA exposure. The trae measure of effectiveness requires that all products be tested identically, to include soapy water as van Hooidonk et al. (1983) did so well for common household products. The most comprehensive data available are the studies conducted at the USAMRICD (Braue, 2006 Hanssen et al., 2006) which directly compared the efficacy of M291 SDK, RSDL, 0.5% bleach, and 1% soapy water challenged with soman, cyclosarin, VX, and VR in the clipped haired guinea pig model. The most important guiding principle of decontamination is rapid removal of the threat agents from the skin. This principle supersedes seeking out sophisticated decontaminants immediately after CWA exposure. The immediate use of soapy water would offer far better results than the best possible decontaminant that was delayed more than 30 min in its use. Future evaluation of potential decontaminants should consider all of the discussed factors to determine the best product. 

Reifenrath et al. [172] evaluated diethyl malo-nate as a simulant for the CWA, soman [172]. They suggested that decontamination of soman, at least on guinea pig skin, might be related to the pressure of the water jet in removing the contaminated outer layer of the SC [172]. 

Undiluted bleach is not used because it is toxic to the skin and may create more damage than no decontaminant. Hairless guinea pigs were exposed to sulfur... 

System in March 2007 for use in the US Army, Navy and Air Force. It is also an approved medical device for nerve agent decontamination in the European Union, Australia, and Canada. The efficacy of RSDL to remove and decontaminate CWAs was demonstrated in vivo with guinea pigs and in vitro with chick embryos. 

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