Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics
Bioterrorism Worker Teaching Module
Self-test Questions
1)
Which of the following biological weapons are contagious?
a. Smallpox
b. Anthrax
c. Pneumonic Plague
d. Botulism
e. Bubonic Plague
2)
Which of the following biological agents occur naturally in the United States?
a. Anthrax
b. Tularemia
c. Smallpox
d. Ebola
e. Plague
3)
What is the ideal particle size for an aerosol biological weapon?
a. Less than 1 micron in diameter
b. 5-10 microns in diameter
c. 1-5 microns in diameter
d. At least 10 microns in diameter
e. At least 15 microns in diameter
4)
What is an incubation period?
a. The time between onset of fever and recovery
b. The time between exposure and developing illness
c. The time required for antibiotics to cure an infection
d. The time from the ingestion of botulinum toxin and the onset of paralysis
e. The time between exposure to a smallpox victim and development of a rash
5)
Which biological agent(s) form a spore?
a. Venezuelan Equine encephalitis virus
b. Plague
c. Anthrax
d. Smallpox
e. Tularemia
6)
Answer the following true or false questions regarding smallpox:
a. Smallpox rash is typically distributed more on the trunk than the extremities
b. A victim with smallpox is contagious
c. Cases of smallpox are still found occasionally in Africa
d. The recommended treatment for smallpox is ciprofloxacin or doxycycline
7)
The recommended length of antibiotic prophylaxis after an anthrax exposure is:
a. 15 days
b. 4 weeks
c. 6 weeks
d. 10 days
e. 60 days
8)
What is the minimum recommended length of isolation for people exposed to
smallpox?
a. 10 days
b. 14 days
c. 17 days
d. 21 days
e. 4 weeks
9)
Which is not an important characteristic of an effective biological weapon?
a. Can be disseminated as an aerosol
b. Has a high attack rate (ability to infect victims)
c. Uses a vector (e.g. flea) to spread the infection
d. Requires a susceptible target population
10)
Answer the following true or false questions regarding the viral hemorrhagic fevers:
a. VHFs are not spread via respiratory droplets, and therefore are not contagious
b. The target organ of Ebola is the central nervous system (brain).
c. Chlorine bleach used correctly is an effective decontamination fluid for VHFs
d. Recommended PPE for health care workers exposed to VHFs includes a N95
respirator.
11)
Answer the following true or false questions regarding personal protective
equipment (PPE) for biological weapons:
a. Level A is an encapsulated suit with a self-contained air supply
b. An N95 mask is recommended for first responders because it does not require fit
testing
c. A first responder wearing a chemical resistant suit with a powered air purifying
respirator is considered Level B
d. Level B is the recommended PPE level for first responders entering a building
where a box filled with powdered anthrax just been opened
12)
Which of the following population(s) should not receive prophylactic smallpox
immunization (i.e immunization without the history of confirmed smallpox
exposure)?
a. Women who are pregnant
b. Children below the age of 8
c. People with a history of atopic dermatitis or eczema
d. People with a history of a previous smallpox vaccination
e. People with a history of HIV infection and/or AIDS
f. Healthcare workers
13)
Level C personal protective equipment includes:
a. A self-contained breathing apparatus
b. An encapsulated suit to protect against vapor threats
c. Respiratory protection such as a Powered Air-Purifying Respiratory (PAPR)
d. No respiratory protection
14)
True or False: Because it is only a half-face respirator, a N95 (or N100) mask can be
used without fit-testing:
a. True
b. False
15)
Which of the following infectious agent naturally infects only humans:
a. Plague (Yersinia pestis)
b. Smallpox (Variola virus)
c. Marburg virus
d. Anthrax (Bacillus anthracis)
e. Ebola virus
16)
Case: You are a volunteer EMT in your hometown. You live in a rural suburb of a
large west coast city. You respond to a 911 call from a private residence where a 30
year male is complaining of fever, headache, and vomiting. Upon arrival you find
him with mild shortness of breath, T = 101.2oF, heart rate 98, blood pressure 112/68,
respiratory rate 28. He appears ill. Because you’ve seen a number of similar patients
tonight you suspect a biological attack has taken place. After your initial assessment,
the best course of action should be to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Immediately notify the local health department
Momentarily return to your ambulance to retrieve and put on your N95 mask
Undress the patient to look for any rashes
Obtain a history regarding the patients travels, activities, and whereabouts for the
previous two weeks
e. Establish intravenous access, give a fluid bolus, administer supplemental oxygen,
and transport the patient to nearest hospital as soon as possible
17)
Case: You work in a large convention center. Approximately 500 people have been
attending an all day computer software conference. By mid afternoon, however,
more than a hundred attendees have developed complaints of double vision, dry
mouth, and weakness. Some have even left to go to the hospital. What is the most
likely biological agent causing these symptoms?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
18)
Case: You work at a local supermarket. Your co-worker has developed a fever, nonproductive cough, headache, and skin lesions over the past day or two. They are
primarily on his arms and face. They are red, tender, and appear to have a very small
bit of bleeding in their center. Which of the following is the most likely cause of his
symptoms?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
19)
Staphylococcal enterotoxin B
Plague
Anthrax
Smallpox
Botulinum toxin
Bubonic plague
Pneumonic plague
Cutaneous anthrax
Smallpox
Staphylococcal enterotoxin B
Which of the following are not characteristic(s) of a bioterrorism-related disease
outbreak:
a. An illness outbreak of a disease not normally found in your geographical region
b. The outbreak occurs in several places (e.g. Denver, San Diego, and Philadelphia)
simultaneously
c. The outbreak occurs in several places sequentially (e.g. Denver, then San Diego,
followed by Philadelphia)
d. The outbreak involves a pathogen (e.g. yersinia pestis, plague) that is resistant to
multiple antibiotics
e. The outbreak has involved many people, but has not caused any fatalities
20)
Who has the primary responsibility for safe guarding the workplace, or community
against a bioterrorist attack?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
The local Department of Public Health
The employer
Law Enforcement
The local union(s)
The workplace’s safety officer
All of the above
Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics
Bioterrorism Worker Teaching Module
Self-test Question Answers
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
A, C, E
A, B, E
C
B
C
a. False
b. True
c. False
d. False
7) E
8) C
9) C
10) a. False
b. False
c. True
d. True
11) a. True
b. False – N95, N100, P95, P100 respirators ALL require fit testing
c. False – The PPE ensemble described is Level C
d. False – Level A is the recommended PPE level for entering unsecured
sites of recent bioterrorist attacks
12) A, C
13) C
14) False
15) B
16) B
17) E
18) D
19) C, E
20) F