Possible Bioterrorism in New Hampshire, Case Study Example

The bioterrorism case in New Hampshire refers to an incident back in 1999 that involved residents of the state being admitted to local hospitals for potential brucellosis. Brucellosis are potential bioterrorism agents that can cause severe sickness in a person, ultimately leading to death. In New Hampshire, a 38-year old woman was admitted to a local hospital with symptoms similar to those that would present if the woman was exposed to brucellosis. “On day 22, after 3 weeks of intensive care, the patient was transferred to hospital B in Boston, Massachusetts. Paired serum specimens obtained on day 4 and day 22 showed a 16-fold rise in titer for Brucella antibodies” (Case Studies, Greenblat). After 28 days of the female being in the hospital and , the CDC and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services were finally notified of a possible brucellosis case. On day 33, the woman died of respiratory damage- after testing her blood and various tissues in her body, the CDC was unable to determine whether or not it was a definitive bioterrorist attack.

Did the CDC respond quick enough? The woman died, that doesn’t sound very quick. At the first moment the respondents and physicians at the hospital in New Hampshire detected symptoms of brucellosis, the CDC should have been notified. If swifter action were taken, the woman’s life might have been saved, not to mention the fact that earlier intervention may have provided the CDC with more information regarding the possible bioterrorist attack.

Interagency collaboration is collaboration that occurs when people from different organizations produce something through joint effort, resources, and decision making. Interagency collaboration may have been used in this case but it was implemented poorly. The New Hampshire board of medicine should have been communicating with the CDC and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services well before 28 days of symptoms presenting. If actions were implemented sooner, a possible bioterrorist attack may have been declared as a definite bioterrorist attack. If resources were combined sooner, a woman’s life might not have been lost.

Lessons that can be learned from this case is that interagency collaboration is integral when dealing with cases like this. Public health and safety should be a top priority of the states and the federal government in an effort to protect the citizens of the country. In order to achieve optimal public health and safety, the states and the federal government need to work together, collaborating on ideas rathering than picking sides and playing games.

References:

J, G. (n.d.). (2000). Retrieved from http://www.bioterrorism.slu.edu/bt/education/suspected_p.htm

Capper, S.A., Ginter, P.M., Swayne, L.E. (2003). Public health leadership and management: Cases and context. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.