Host: The Japanese Society of Toxicology
Name : The 51st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Toxicology
Date : July 03, 2024 - July 05, 2024
According to the Global Terrorism Database, the total number of terrorism attacks has increased since 2010, with more than 10,000 attacks occurring annually worldwide. While the overwhelming majority of these attacks are by explosives, chemical terrorism (C-terrorism) using chemical agents is common. Another characteristic of terrorism in recent years is that chemical weapons, originally developed for the battlefield, are now being used against civilians in cities and conflict areas.
At the scene of a chemical terrorism disaster, it is not easy to identify the myriad of substances that can cause poisoning, and it can take time to diagnose the problem. Furthermore, the complex nature of the information and the uncertainty of specimen collection also make identification difficult. On the other hand, treatment of lethal and urgent chemical agents must be initiated immediately. Supportive care is needed for respiratory arrest and cyanosis, and antidote therapy may be considered. Furthermore, “Aging" is said to diminish the effects of oximes, the antagonists of nerve agents, in as little as 5 hours for sarin and 2 minutes for soman. It may be too late to begin treatment once the causative agent has been identified, so the initial treatment of C-terrorism injuries requires an approach in which the toxic agent is estimated while treatment is also initiated. In addition to the five toxidromes used in clinical practice, different toxidromes have been devised for chemical terrorism.
In this session, we will review the toxidromes of chemical agents (nerve agents, asphyxiants, and opioids) that have properties suitable for terrorist attacks, i.e., high volatility and rapid onset of incapacitating or lethal effects, as well as the actual models prepared for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and other events to counter C-terrorism.
