The Aeromedical Isolation Team (AIT, or SMART-AIT) of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Fort Detrick, Maryland was a military rapid response team with worldwide airlift capability designed to safely evacuate and manage contagious patients under high-level (BSL-4) bio-containment conditions.[1] Created in 1978,[2] during its final years the AIT was one of MEDCOM’s Special Medical Augmentation Response Teams (SMART teams) comprising a portable containment laboratory along with its transit isolators for patient transport. Contingency missions included bioterrorism scenarios as well as the extraction of scientists with exotic infections from remote sites in foreign countries. The AIT trained continuously and was often put on alert status, but only deployed for “real world” missions four times. The AIT was decommissioned in 2010 and its mission was assumed by one of the US Air Force’s Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATTs).
The AIT conducting training in PPE while transporting a mock patient in an ATI at Fort Detrick. (Photo by Bruce Maston, 2007)
AIT members (with an older type of Racal suits) prepare to transfer a patient from a stretcher isolator into a BSL-4 medical care suite[3]
The AIT was created in 1978 for purposes of contingency air evacuation of a hypothetical USAMRIID researcher who might become exposed to a highly infectious pathogen while undertaking endemic surveillance in remote areas of the world where a suspected or known disease outbreak was occurring. At the core of AIT operations was its specialized equipment, notably the Aircraft Transit Isolator (ATI). Developed by Vickers in the U.K. in the 1970s[4] — and manufactured in later years by Elwyn Roberts Isolators, Shropshire, UK, until 2007 — the ATI was a self-contained unit capable of transporting a patient with a highly virulent disease and at the same time providing maximum microbiological security while full nursing care and treatment are rendered. It was designed to minimize the risk of transmission to air crews and caregivers, whether military or civilian. The interior of the isolator was maintained at a pressure negative to the external environment by a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtered blower. The isolator could be attached directly to a transfer port, situated on the external wall of the main USAMRIID building, to allow movement of the patient into a BSL-4 medical care suite without exposing the environment to the patient. While moving the isolator, team members wore protective suits and positive-pressure, HEPA-filtered Racal hoods (manufactured by Racal Health & Safety, Inc, Frederick, Maryland).[3]
Throughout its existence the AIT was associated with a BSL-4Medical Containment Suite (MCS, called “the Slammer”) at USAMRIID for ICU-level patient care under biocontainment. The MCS was built in 1969 and became operational in 1972; it was the destination to which contagious patients were to be removed by the AIT. Over the years the scope of the AIT/MCS mission was expanded to include U.S. military personnel, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. citizens or foreign nationals deemed to be in need of service by the U.S. Department of State. Occasionally, the AIT trained with similar teams of foreign allies.[5]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2012)
In 2007, due to the death of Mr Roberts, the ATI and associated products ceased to be manufactured. During 2008–2010, the AIT began preliminary training with, and testing of, a new transit isolator product — the Patient Isolation Unit (PIU) — developed by the Gentex Corporation under a contract with the U.S. Air Force.
The AIT was decommissioned — along with the MCS — in 2010 and its mission was assumed by one of the US Air Force’s Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATTs). The Air Force's capabilities, however, do not meet the standard of biocontainment (BSL-4) facilities,[6] but rather represent enhanced patient isolation. No BSL-4 ICU facility has replaced the Army's former MCS to date.
^Christopher, G. W. and E. M. Eitzen, Jr, “Air evacuation under high-level biosafety containment: the aeromedical isolation team”; Emerg Infect Dis, 1999: Mar-Apr; 5(2): 241–246.
^Marklund, LeRoy A., “Patient care in a biological safety level-4 (BSL-4) environment”; Crit Care Nurs Clin N Am: 15 (2003), 245– 255.
^ abSidell, Frederick R.; Takafuji, Ernest T.; Franz, David R., D.V.M. (1997). . Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare. Office of The Surgeon General Department of the Army, United States of America. Archived from the original on 26 April 2005. Retrieved 15 April 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Clayton, A.J., “Containment aircraft transit isolator”; Aviat Space Environ Med, 1979: Oct;50(10):1067-72.
^Fleming-Michael, Karen (2005), “Training Day” October 30, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Fort Detrick Standard (28 Sep 2005 issue).
^Covert, Norman M. (1993), Cutting Edge: A History of Fort Detrick, Maryland, 1943-1993, Headquarters, U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Detrick, Maryland, pg 81.
April 11, 2024
aeromedical, isolation, team, smart, army, medical, research, institute, infectious, diseases, usamriid, fort, detrick, maryland, military, rapid, response, team, with, worldwide, airlift, capability, designed, safely, evacuate, manage, contagious, patients, u. The Aeromedical Isolation Team AIT or SMART AIT of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases USAMRIID at Fort Detrick Maryland was a military rapid response team with worldwide airlift capability designed to safely evacuate and manage contagious patients under high level BSL 4 bio containment conditions 1 Created in 1978 2 during its final years the AIT was one of MEDCOM s Special Medical Augmentation Response Teams SMART teams comprising a portable containment laboratory along with its transit isolators for patient transport Contingency missions included bioterrorism scenarios as well as the extraction of scientists with exotic infections from remote sites in foreign countries The AIT trained continuously and was often put on alert status but only deployed for real world missions four times The AIT was decommissioned in 2010 and its mission was assumed by one of the US Air Force s Critical Care Air Transport Teams CCATTs The AIT conducting training in PPE while transporting a mock patient in an ATI at Fort Detrick Photo by Bruce Maston 2007 Contents 1 History 1 1 Selected AIT alerts and deployments 2 See also 3 ReferencesHistory edit nbsp AIT members with an older type of Racal suits prepare to transfer a patient from a stretcher isolator into a BSL 4 medical care suite 3 The AIT was created in 1978 for purposes of contingency air evacuation of a hypothetical USAMRIID researcher who might become exposed to a highly infectious pathogen while undertaking endemic surveillance in remote areas of the world where a suspected or known disease outbreak was occurring At the core of AIT operations was its specialized equipment notably the Aircraft Transit Isolator ATI Developed by Vickers in the U K in the 1970s 4 and manufactured in later years by Elwyn Roberts Isolators Shropshire UK until 2007 the ATI was a self contained unit capable of transporting a patient with a highly virulent disease and at the same time providing maximum microbiological security while full nursing care and treatment are rendered It was designed to minimize the risk of transmission to air crews and caregivers whether military or civilian The interior of the isolator was maintained at a pressure negative to the external environment by a high efficiency particulate air HEPA filtered blower The isolator could be attached directly to a transfer port situated on the external wall of the main USAMRIID building to allow movement of the patient into a BSL 4 medical care suite without exposing the environment to the patient While moving the isolator team members wore protective suits and positive pressure HEPA filtered Racal hoods manufactured by Racal Health amp Safety Inc Frederick Maryland 3 Throughout its existence the AIT was associated with a BSL 4 Medical Containment Suite MCS called the Slammer at USAMRIID for ICU level patient care under biocontainment The MCS was built in 1969 and became operational in 1972 it was the destination to which contagious patients were to be removed by the AIT Over the years the scope of the AIT MCS mission was expanded to include U S military personnel the U S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U S citizens or foreign nationals deemed to be in need of service by the U S Department of State Occasionally the AIT trained with similar teams of foreign allies 5 This section needs expansion You can help by adding to it May 2012 In 2007 due to the death of Mr Roberts the ATI and associated products ceased to be manufactured During 2008 2010 the AIT began preliminary training with and testing of a new transit isolator product the Patient Isolation Unit PIU developed by the Gentex Corporation under a contract with the U S Air Force The AIT was decommissioned along with the MCS in 2010 and its mission was assumed by one of the US Air Force s Critical Care Air Transport Teams CCATTs The Air Force s capabilities however do not meet the standard of biocontainment BSL 4 facilities 6 but rather represent enhanced patient isolation No BSL 4 ICU facility has replaced the Army s former MCS to date Selected AIT alerts and deployments edit Deployed to Reston Virginia Ebola outbreak 1989 Deployed to Sweden in support of Marburg virus patient management 1989 7 Alerted for Ebola outbreak in Zaire 1993 On call for Yale researcher with Sabia virus exposure 1994 Alerted for military physician Machupo virus exposure 1994 Alert for Ebola Zaire outbreak 1995 Deployed to Wright Patterson AFB Bio bomblets Dec 1995 citation needed Alerted for deployment to Rwanda Zaire 1996 NYC Bronx Zoo West Nile virus Oct 1999 Alerted to support with possible Ebola exposure in Uganda Dec 2000 Alerted for support with anthrax mailings 2001 Alerted to support WTC attacks 2001 On orders to support the Presidential State of the Union Address 30 January 2002 On orders to support the Winter Olympics 17 January to 20 March 2002 Advisors for SARS outbreak 2003 Alerted for XDR TB patient May 2007 Alerted for Viral hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Congo Aug 2007See also editUnited States biological defense program List of former United States Army medical units Aeromedical Biological Containment SystemReferences edit Christopher G W and E M Eitzen Jr Air evacuation under high level biosafety containment the aeromedical isolation team Emerg Infect Dis 1999 Mar Apr 5 2 241 246 Marklund LeRoy A Patient care in a biological safety level 4 BSL 4 environment Crit Care Nurs Clin N Am 15 2003 245 255 a b Sidell Frederick R Takafuji Ernest T Franz David R D V M 1997 19 Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare Office of The Surgeon General Department of the Army United States of America Archived from the original on 26 April 2005 Retrieved 15 April 2015 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Clayton A J Containment aircraft transit isolator Aviat Space Environ Med 1979 Oct 50 10 1067 72 Fleming Michael Karen 2005 Training Day Archived October 30 2014 at the Wayback Machine Fort Detrick Standard 28 Sep 2005 issue DHHS Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories BMBL 5th edition 2009 U S Government Printing Office pp 45 58 Covert Norman M 1993 Cutting Edge A History of Fort Detrick Maryland 1943 1993 Headquarters U S Army Garrison Fort Detrick Maryland pg 81 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aeromedical Isolation Team amp oldid 1187074861, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
