Ricin

Background

• Found in castor beans from the plant Ricinus communis
  • A residual product of the production of castor oil (if properly prepared, does not contain the toxin)

Clinical Features

• Depends on type of exposure (parenteral, inhaled, or ingested)
• First symptoms occcur 3-12 hours after exposure
• Multiorgan failure occurred with a prominently elevated white blood cell count.
• acute lung injury
• Pulmonary edema may develop one to 3 days after exposure,
  • fever, cough, shortness of breath, and nausea.
• symptoms and time to death were also dose related and associated with alveolar flooding, fibropurulent pneumonia, and necrotizing tracheitis
• Death 36-48 hours after exposure

Diagnosis

• Chest x-ray = bilateral infiltrates

References

• Lutwick LI,Gradon J, Zellen J: Category B Biotoxins. In Lutwick LI, Lutwick SM (eds), Beyond Anthrax: Bioterror - The Weaponization of Infectious Diseases. Springer-Humana, New York, 2009, New York, pp. 181-206: