Blue Tongue virus scare places Pamplona Bull Run in free fall

CFP ^ | March 17, 2005 | Judi McLeod

[MikeEdwards]

"Blue Tongue", a bullfighting equivalent to Mad Cow in Canada, has descended, out of the blue on Pamplona, home of the annual Bull Run.

In what breeders lament is their worst crisis in a century, some 65 percent of Spain’s bull-breeding farms are affected by the blue tongue virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes.

Looks like Pamplona bulls won’t be standing let alone running by this July’s bull run.

The new millennium seems to have ushered in the Century of the Rare Virus.

Bypassing acres of swampland, the mosquito-borne West Nile disease showed up in, of all places, New York State. The arrival of West Nile in the Western Hemisphere was recorded in the Big Apple.

The Butcher of Baghdad did have an embassy at Manhattan UN headquarters, but who there would dare ask to see the contents of diplomatic pouches from Iraq?

How many vials would it take to create West Nile disease in the Western Hemisphere?

How many people don’t like other people eating cows? . . . . .

[drt1]

While conspiracy theories may have some merit how about the several thousand Intercontinental air flights daily or the several hundred large freighters and cruise liners that transit widely geographically distant areas daily? IMO these are more likely the real culprits.

[Enterprise]

Blue tongue, the silent epidemic. Please give generously and help us lick it. It's for the chirruns.

[NRA1995]

I used to get that as a kid from eating blue Popsicles. Cows eat Popsicles now?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I don't have any bulls, but;
West Nile Virus Found
In Florida Alligators

By Jane Sutton
11-14-2

MIAMI (Reuters) - Epidemiologists found the West Nile virus in three farm-raised Florida alligators, marking the first time the potentially deadly virus has been found in a U.S. reptile species, health officials said on Wednesday.

They also said there was little chance of contracting West Nile disease by eating the meat of an infected alligator because cooking destroys the heat-sensitive virus.

But state officials were still trying to gauge the potential impact on Florida's 21 commercial alligator farms, which produced 25,200 hides and 190,600 pounds (85,770 kg) of meat in 2001.

Researchers from the University of Florida confirmed the virus was present in three alligators sent from a commercial farm in central Florida's Orange County, said Lisa Conti, the state's public health veterinarian. The tests were conducted after an unusual spate of deaths at the farm.

"We would encourage alligator farmers that have animals that may act like they have neurologic signs to have them tested for West Nile," Conti said. "We don't know to what extent this would cause large outbreaks of illness or death in these animals."


http://www.rense.com/general31/glori.htm

[drt1]

"They also said there was little chance of contracting West Nile disease by eating the meat of an infected alligator because cooking destroys the heat-sensitive virus."

But what about the unfortunate Alligator who eats a Human infected with the virus? Calling PETA.

[SWAMPSNIPER]