Aeromedical evacuation of biological warfare casualties: A treatise on infectious diseases on aircraft

A basic understanding of the transmission and isolation of infections would be essential to the safe and effective aeromedical evacuation (AE) of biol ogical warfare (BW) casualties. First, the airframe as microbial environmen t is considered, and relevant preventive and disinfecting measures are disc ussed, A survey of past infectious disease transmission on civilian aircraf t (including tuberculosis, influenza, measles, smallpox, and viral hemorrha gic fevers) is presented, and the communicability and stability of likely B W agents is described, A brief history of U.S. military aeromedical evacuat ion (as it relates to contagious diseases and U.S. Air Force BW doctrine) i s also outlined, Special containment procedures (especially as used by the U.S. Army Aeromedical Isolation Team) are described. Finally, international legal and regulatory aspects of the AE of BW casualties are considered, an d some unanswered questions and suggestions for future research are offered . It is concluded that, given adequate foresight, expertise, and resources, the AE of even contagious BW casualties could be safely and effectively ac complished.