Posted on 12/15/2003 8:13:27 PM PST by leu25iso
Colombia: Outbreak of Undiagnosed Severe Respiratory Disease -------------------------------------------------- From 25 Sep to 28 Nov 2003, 38 cases of a severe acute respiratory disease have been reported to the Colombian National Institute of Health (INS). The illness develops in a range of 10 to 7 days. The disease begins with high respiratory symptoms and fever, cough (with or without expectoration), dyspnea, headache, asthenia, and/or adynamia. Diarrhea, vomit or intense thoracic pain can also be present. Chest x-rays show interstitial and alveolar infiltrates. This illness has resulted in 13 deaths.
Information coming from health care providers of National Institutions indicates an increase of cases with respiratory infection. The disease is affecting patients ranging from 6 months to 72 years old, with an average age of 22 years old. Women represent 58 percent (22) of the cases. The most affected areas are: Antioquia, 19 cases (50 percent); North of Santander, 14 (37 percent) and Bogota, 7 (13 percent). 4 patients had other chronic diseases like chronic lung disease, hypercoagulability syndrome, and bronchial hyperreactivity.
In 16 of the 38 cases, the following respiratory viruses have been isolated: 2 with Influenza A virus, 2 with parainfluenza virus and 2 co-infections (one with respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza 1 virus, and another with respiratory syncytial virus and influenza A virus).
Appropriate prevention and control measures have been taken, including educational messages for the population, awareness messages for health care providers, and recommendation for influenza vaccination.
-- ProMED-mail
[Further information is requested. In particular, it would be relevant to know what other tests were carried out and the identities of any other respiratory tract pathogens that could have been detected. For example, the text of the article refers to severe acute respiratory disease, but it is not disclosed whether human coronaviruses would have been detected by the methods employed. The high mortality of 13 deaths among 38 patients suggests inadequate reporting of cases, rather than involvement of a SARS-like coronavirus. The association of the viruses isolated with the disease outbreak is not consistent enough to confirm an etiologic role. Also, the small number of affected patients (38 reported over a 9-week period) may indicate diverse etiologies. - Mod.CP]
http://www.ins.gov.co/pdf_investiga/brote_casos_ergcr.PDF
The US Army's solution to the problem was quite novel & worthy of mention.
Red painted, water filled 5# coffee cans with the letters "ARD" stensiled on the side & placed up & down all the halls in our barracks!
Yup, the *theory* behind the "Anti-Respritory Disease" cans involved the water evaporating into the dry, cold Missouri air & then virus germs c/wouldn't be spread as easily.
>?<
I wound up in the hospital with viral pnumonia, anyway. {g}
...our government "at work." :o)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.