The accidental or hostile exposure of individuals to ionizing irradiation is of great public and military concern. Radiation sickness (acute radiation syndrome, or ARS) occurs when the body is exposed to a high dose of penetrating radiation within a short period of time. Systemic infection is one of the serious consequences of ARS. There is a direct relation between the magnitude of radiation exposure and the risk of developing infection. The risk of systemic infection is higher whenever there is a combined injury such as burn or trauma. Ionizing radiation enhances infection by allowing translocation of oral and gastrointestinal flora, and reducing the threshold of sepsis due to endogenous and exogenous microorganisms. The potential for concomitant accidental or terrorism-related exposure to bio-terrorism agents such as anthrax and radiation also exists.

This site is made of a home page that presents new developments and updates on the management of acute radiation syndrome including concomitant exposure to radiation and anthrax. Separate pages are dedicated to the treatment modalities.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

New Survey Shows Radiation Spread Over a Wide Area


The first thorough soil survey from areas around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant found extensive ground contamination. Another evaluation warned of the continued threat to Japan's food chain, underscoring the major challenges Japan still faces in its radioactive cleanup efforts.
Half a year after the nuclear accident, the country’s education ministry released the first comprehensive survey of soil contamination within a 62-mile radius, showing that more than 30 locations extending over a wide area have been contaminated with long-lasting radioactive cesium.
The extent of reported contamination raises concerns about how quickly can these locations can be cleaned up, and the dangers of radioactive materials spreading to a wider area through wind or rain as well as the food chain..


A worker from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency measures radiation levels in Fukushima
Posted by at 4:26 PM

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