GIZ-Nord Poisons Centre, University Medical Centre, Robert Koch Strasse 40, D-37099, Göttingen, Germany.
Eur J Intern Med. 2012 Mar;23(2):e63-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2011.09.015. Epub 2011 Oct 26.
The acronym "ASHT" stands for "Alerting System and Development of a Health Surveillance System for the Deliberate Release of Chemicals by Terrorists". Imagine this scenario: 15 patients with respiratory symptoms following a concert in Rome and 12 patients coughing after lunch in a cafeteria in the Czech Republic; are these events related? Today these events would never be connected as there is no mechanism to allow EU Member States to share this type of information effectively. The main objective of the ASHT project was to improve data sharing between EU Member States. In part, this was achieved by an internet accessible EU-wide alerting system with the aim to detect the deliberate (i.e. criminal or terrorist) or accidental release of chemicals. Nevertheless more information from police, fire brigades and health professionals is needed.
Description of the design, development, functionality and testing of the relational database system called "RAS-CHEM" (Rapid Alert System for Chemicals).
A database structure appropriate for the description of "events" with sophisticated retrieval functions was developed. For evaluation purposes 37 events were entered into the database including 29 scenarios and 8 historical mass intoxications. The alert level was "background information" for 21 events, "suspected mass intoxication" for 6 cases and "confirmed mass intoxication" for 10 events.
The RAS-CHEM database works and will be integrated into the Health Emergency Operations Facility (HEOF) with other European Rapid Alert Systems. Poisons centres receive a large number of enquiries and could be important sentinels in this field of toxicovigilance.
“ASHT”是“恐怖分子蓄意释放化学品的警报系统和健康监测系统的开发”的缩写。设想这样一种情景：15 名在罗马参加音乐会后出现呼吸道症状的患者和 12 名在捷克共和国自助餐厅午餐后咳嗽的患者；这些事件是否有关联？如今，由于没有机制允许欧盟成员国有效共享此类信息，这些事件永远不会被联系起来。ASHT 项目的主要目标是改善欧盟成员国之间的数据共享。该项目在一定程度上通过一个互联网接入的欧盟范围内的警报系统实现，旨在检测化学品的蓄意（即犯罪或恐怖主义）或意外释放。然而，还需要来自警察、消防队和卫生专业人员的更多信息。
描述称为“RAS-CHEM”（化学品快速警报系统）的关系数据库系统的设计、开发、功能和测试。
开发了一种适用于描述“事件”的数据库结构，具有复杂的检索功能。为了评估目的，将 37 个事件输入数据库，包括 29 个场景和 8 个历史群体性中毒事件。警报级别为 21 个事件的“背景信息”，6 个案例的“疑似群体性中毒”和 10 个事件的“确认群体性中毒”。
RAS-CHEM 数据库正在运行，并将与其他欧洲快速警报系统一起集成到卫生应急行动设施（HEOF）中。中毒中心收到了大量的咨询，在这一毒理学监测领域可能是重要的哨兵。
