Officials Scramble to Contain Monkeypox

The Washington Post ^ | June 9, 2003 | Rob Stein

[FairOpinion]

Health officials are investigating at least 29 suspected cases of people in three Midwestern states who may have been stricken in the outbreak so far, which state and federal health officials are urgently working to contain.

State and federal authorities are tracing about 200 animals that were distributed in 15 states by an exotic pet dealer in Illinois. The dealer sold rodents known as prairie dogs, which are believed to be the source of the outbreak.

In addition to trying to prevent more infections, officials are worried that the animals could spread the disease to wild rabbits and other indigenous creatures, allowing the virus to become entrenched in the United States. The last time a new disease became established in this country was in 1999, when the West Nile virus arrived. It has subsequently spread nationwide.

[FairOpinion]

"The article denies that there has been human-to-human transmission in this country, but it sure sounds likely to me from this story that the 3-year-old's parents caught the disease from her."
---

I agree and clearly the outbreak in Congo in 1996-97 DID have human to human transmission. I can't believe how lazy reporters are, they do no research whatsoever. That's why we have to do it. Maybe in the US they haven't proven any secondary cases, because they are just getting the primary cases now, and the secondary cases will show up in a week. Also, I agree with you, that it is plausible that the parents of the girl got it from the kid, not the prairie dog.

Here is a very informative article about the Congo outbreak, from the CDC site:

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00048673.htm

They show significant secondary infections, which were the result of human to human transmission:

Of the 89 case-patients for whom data were available, 65 (73%) reported contact with another case-patient 7-21 days before onset of illness and thus were considered secondary cases.

[FairOpinion]

And here is the chart from that CDC article about the Congo outbreak. MOST cases, 73% WERE cased by human to human, secondary transmission, so it sounds quite contagious. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00048673.htm

[Prince Charles]

Thanks.. it was a chilling couple of paragraphs.

[Prince Charles]

It's a very good read. And it exposes just how evil was the Evil Empire formerly known as the USSR.

[Ches]

"Why anyone would want a burrowing varmint as a pet is beyond my comprehension."

Ditto. These rodents were selling for $199.99 at our local pet shop. Wasn't it P.T. Barnum who said "There's a sucker born every minute."?

[Damocles]

I don't think I slept well for 3 days after reading that book.

[iceskater]

I did read his book called The Hot Zone. That was pretty good so I'm sure this one will keep my attention.

[blam]

"Officials also asked owners not to release prairie dogs into the wild, to ensure they don't spread the virus to squirrels and groundhogs."

Just great, I have loads of squirrels.

[aristeides]

If immunization doesn't work, I guess the other possibility is to find an antiviral that blocks the action of the virus.

[aristeides]

Monkeypox is said to be less infectious than smallpox, but I think the routes of transmission are the same.

[Judith Anne]

Thanks.

[Judith Anne]

Cathy, I love your tag line...;-D

As far as keywords go, what was the color of the pestilence horseman of the apocalypse? That was the "pale horse," I think...We could use "pale horse" as a descriptor, and call these emerging disease threads "pale horse threads."

[Judith Anne]

I'm going to put "pale horse" with no caps in my keywords, from now on.

[riri]

Well, I wonder if the uni-bomber cabin is up for sale? Seeing as I can't keep an ordinary houseplant alive for longer than a week, I guess growing my own food is outta the question.

When they talked about a new economy, I had no idea it was going to be survivalist based.

[riri]

I used to think Betty Jo was off base, I am not too sure anymore.

[Eaker]

Just great, I have loads of squirrels.

Ditto!!

Eaker

[Judith Anne]

I don't know. I just don't know. :-(

[rightwingreligiousfanatic]

Please put me on your "Pale Horse" Ping list....;^)

When you get it up and running that is.....

[backhoe]

The Demon In The Freezer

1. The Demon in the Freezer [Small Pox]
Posted on 10/20/2001 9:13 PM PDT by r9etb Probably the best article on Small Pox I've seen. Last week, the news was filled with talk of bioterrorism and chemical warfare.
www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/553011/posts - May 20, 2003 - 16 KB

2. Very readable article about Bioweapons and Anthrax
... Saved this and "Demon in the Freezer" to my hard drive. ...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/550552/posts - April 4, 2003 - 10 KB

3. Officials Learning From Smallpox Alarms
Once or twice a month, federal health officials mobilize to investigate a patient who might have smallpox, a case so suspicious it cannot be ruled out immediately. ... Excerpt from the Demon In The...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/832088/posts - April 18, 2003 - 10 KB

4. Germany to Stockpile Smallpox Vaccine
BERLIN (AP) Germany plans to stockpile enough smallpox vaccine by the end of the year to protect its entire population of 82 million from a terrorist attack with the virus, the government said Wednesday. ... According to The Demon in the Freezer, the smallpox vaccine Germany had in the 1960's was ineffective. ...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/823351/posts - April 21, 2003 - 14 KB

5. Bio-defense requires smallpox vaccine
Posted on 04/15/2002 10:06 PM PDT by JohnHuang2 British Prime Minister Tony Blair ordered 16 million doses of smallpox vaccine after Vice President Richard B. Cheney visited last month and warned about the threat of an attack by Iraq. ... Russia has 20 tons of the stuff (and no controls)... The Demon in the Freezer. And if it gets loosed on a world with NO ...
www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/666702/posts - May 6, 2003 - 20 KB

[Judith Anne]

Thanks, backhoe, as always. I'm going around adding "palehorse" as a keyword, would you please do the same on any new articles you add, about emerging diseases?