Vaccination, aimed at warfighters and emergency first responders in particular, may be effective at preventing serious injury and death after ricin exposure. In the context of a bioattack the 4 hour window is considered too short a time in which to both identify the causative agent and obtain and deliver an effective treatment. Current research has identified that a vaccination approach can be effective at preventing serious side effects and death due to ricin exposure, while therapeutic treatments must be administered within 4 hours of exposure to have significant efficacy. There are no prophylactic or therapeutic treatments for ricin intoxication. Because ricin can penetrate cells within 4 hours of exposure, its effects are rapidly irreversible. Ricin acts by shutting down protein synthesis within any mammalian cell it comes in contact with, causing cell death. It is easily manufactured from mash from local castor bean production or as a byproduct from castor oil production, making it a Category B Biothreat agent. Ricin toxin is one of the most potent poisons known.
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