5 Who Died Had Flu-Like Symptoms

Washington Post ^ | Saturday, February 22, 2003 | By Michael D. Shear and Maria Glod

[Pro-Bush]

RICHMOND, Feb. 21 -- Five children who died in southeast Virginia in the past week had no contact with each other and did not attend the same schools or take similar medicines, according to state health officials, who also dismissed bioterrorism as a cause of the mysterious deaths.

The five boys and girls -- from Richmond, Hampton, Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth -- had one thing in common before their unexpected deaths: an apparent viral infection that caused flu-like symptoms, including sore throat, wheezing, coughing, ear infections, and low-grade fevers

[discostu]

The miracle is that West Nile didn't get here 20 years ago. Insect born diseases travel really well, only takes one infected misquito to hitch a ride on an airplane and bite a bird on the other side and WALLA West Nile has spread to another country.

[Euro-American Scum]

Don't fear the Reaper.

The time is fast approaching for all of us to stand and be true.

[TheLurkerX]

Yep. This last flare-up started with 2 days of feeling ok except for a sore back and neck, and I was tired all the time. The 2nd night, I got the sore throat/runny nose again. My lungs got congested, and the next morning, every muscle and joint in my body hurt. I was running low fevers off and on, and at one point had violent stomach cramps, but they only lasted a couple of hours. By the following 2 days, I still felt bad, but had started blowing and hacking up nasty stuff. I'm still not 100 percent, and it's been a week. This is the 4th time this winter it's got me again, and my wife and kids have all had it 3 or 4 times. The flare-ups aren't as bad as the first time, but like I said earlier, it's like it lurks in your system, waiting to kid your legs out from under you again.

[discostu]

What's up is that reporters desperate for fame ask stupid questions and write sensationalistic stories hoping for their "big break". There's 280 million people in this country, some are bound to get sick, so of those sicknesses will leave doctors scratching their heads. Before 9-11 these things were reported in the Fortean Times if they made the news at all, now every one of the is a "possible terrorist attack". People die from the flu, it happens, it spreads like a mother and people "with no previous contact" get the same strain (contagions spread from one to another, if one guy had contact with 5 people, who spread it to a different 5, then a different 5 then finally the kids you've got 5 kids that never met with the same illness, no suprise there).

This is like Florida in the summer of 01, all those stories about shark attack and everybody thought the sharks had gone bonkers or something and in truth shark attack off the coast of Florida were DOWN by around 40%, but every one made the national news so it seemed up but that was an illusion.

[riri]

My wife and I, several others, have reported sore knees, elbows and backs

Myself and two kids got this. Hubby didn't get too sick, and he had flu shot. But we were all sick for about a week. My back was in such pain and I thought it very odd at the time. It was not your typical flu achiness, it was an uncomforting pain.

[FourPeas]

flu-like symptoms, including sore throat, wheezing, coughing, ear infections, and low-grade fevers

Those don't sound like flu symptoms to me. They sound like head cold symptoms.

I'm on day 8 of these very same symptoms (and I'm ready for them to leave). It's been going around here although for some inexplicable reason I seem to have gotten worse case of it than anyone we know. It's a butt kicker.

[RedWhiteBlue]

In my two run-ins with the flu, I found it to be similar to a head cold, but *extremely* more severe in the fever and aches department.

SYMPTOMS OF INFLUENZA:

fever - up to 104 degrees C
headache
muscle aches and stiffness
nasal discharge
cough
shortness of breath
chills
fatigue
malaise
sweating
loss of appetite
stuffy, congested nose
sore throat

[FourPeas]

I've had similar experiences with the flu.

The article, though, didn't point out the symptoms that delineate the flu from a cold: high fever (the article mentioned only low-grade), muscle aches and stiffness, chills, loss of appetite, etc. The symptoms that were mentioned are common to both the cold and flu.

[blam]

"Is there any similarity between this and the virus in South China which recently took several lives?"

I posted an article on that last week but, I can't find it now.

[blam]

"Is there any similarity between this and the virus in South China which recently took several lives?"

Found it.

Proof That Bird Flu Killed Man In Hong Kong Prompts Alarm

[justa-hairyape]

That looks like what I have been recovering from. I did have a flare up 1 week after initially contracting the 'flu'. Been dealing with morning sore throats and occasional coughing for about 10 days. And yes I have been experiencing wierd joint pains. You need to take this years 'flu' seriously. I have never had one last this long and actually flare up again later on. Symptoms actually appear similar to what I remmber were reported in the Gulf War sickness that was spreading to relatives of Gulf War veterans. Probably just a coincidence.

[TheLurkerX]

Thanks, maybe if we all get over it this year, we'll have a better go at the next couple.

[Lion's Cub]

I'm not in the loop any more, aristeides--I quit over 2 years ago. We've now lost another one just a little to our south in N. Carolina.

My personal opinion is that the CDC is worthless, and I don't expect anything from them. The fact that 92 nationwide have died and the CDC is doing nothing but keeping a total speaks for itself.

I can't tell for sure without examining data that I don't have, but I've wondered if it might be mosquito born. While it's been very cold here for most of the winter, we do have occasional days when it warms up enough that the flies come out--so maybe the mosquitos do too. I'm also wondering if it might be flea-born.

The little 2yr.-old had an ear infection--not pneumonia. Her mother had given her some tylenol and she felt better but said she was tired and wanted a nap. She never woke up.

It might be something that remains latent and under control until the child develops something that stresses the immune system. When the immune system kicks in, it may trigger whatever this is to take off. Whatever it is, it may produce a toxin that attacks the respiratory center in the brain.

There's always the possibility that it's something genetic, too, since it only seems to be killing children.

How the medical community can shake their heads and mutter and not push for answers is simply beyond my understanding. They notify the CDC then figure they've done their duty. The CDC adds up the grand total and figures they've done their duty. I personally don't think much of either of them at the moment.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Maybe RSV -- Respiratory Syncytial Virus

[Lion's Cub]

I have returned to officially eat some crow and apoligize to the CDC and medical community. I'd heard about the deaths, but I didn't know they were investigating.

Here's a link that states they are:

Doctors' offices filled amid children's unexplained deaths
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/849269/posts

[paix]

Not to sound morbid, but I live less than a mile from a graveyard with MANY children who died around the turn-of-the-century due to flu.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Bump to read later!