PIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG............
Posted on 08/08/2006 4:37:36 PM PDT by neverdem
AP MEDICAL WRITER
LONDON -- Turkey is battling the largest recorded outbreak of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, which has killed at least 20 people this year, and experts said Tuesday more cases of the Ebola-like disease are inevitable in coming months.
The fever is primarily an animal disease, but can also affect humans. It is endemic to parts of Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe and is transmitted by ticks, which thrive on sheep and cattle.
Infected people can transmit the virus by blood, saliva or droplets from sneezing. The disease causes a sharp drop in platelets, which allow the blood to clot. Without rapid treatment by antivirus drugs and replacement of platelets, victims can bleed to death.
"We will unfortunately keep seeing cases at least until September, when the virus starts to slow down because of the cold weather," said Dr. Onder Ergonul, an associate professor at Marmara University, who has been involved with the government's response to the outbreak.
Most of the cases have occurred in six provinces in the Black Sea and Central Anatolia region: Tokat, Sivas, Gumushane, Amasya, Yozagat and Corum.
Authorities at the World Health Organization are awaiting further information from the Turkish government, including where the other cases have arisen. Turkish authorities say no cases have been reported in the tourist areas along the Mediterranean coast.
By Aug. 4, there were 242 cases of the disease, including 20 deaths, making it the largest reported outbreak since it was first identified in 1944, authorities said.
Last week, a nurse treating Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever patients died after being infected accidentally by a needle. To date, four health care workers have been infected, though there have not been any reports of the virus spreading in hospitals.
"There have been large outbreaks of this virus before, but we are concerned about the size of this particular outbreak in Turkey," said Dr. Bernardus Ganter, the World Health Organization's Regional Adviser for Communicable Diseases in the European Region.
One of the reasons for the increased numbers, Ganter said, could be a more sophisticated detection system. Turkey's first outbreak of the disease was in 2002, and surveillance has strengthened considerably since.
"We are reassured that the outbreak appears limited to only one part of Turkey, in Anatolia," said Ergonul. More than 90 percent of cases have been reported in people who have had direct contact with animals, according to Ergonul.
In an attempt to control the outbreak, Turkish authorities have instituted stronger surveillance for the disease across the country, and are attempting to educate the population about how they can minimize the risks of contracting the disease by avoiding contact with ticks.
Veterinarians and entomologists are also looking at ways to control the tick population.
With several previous outbreaks of the disease in recent years, Turkey has considerable expertise in treating patients.
WHO has been in frequent contact with the Turkish Ministry of Health, and is ready to send teams to the region if requested to do so. Ganter said the transmission season was expected to last until October.
Ping
That's odd. I would've expected Salmonella.
that's close to Iran Iraq etc... uh someone playing with their "Junior Dictators Bio Weapon Lab Kit"???
Nasty stuff. Not as nasty as Ebola, but bad enough.
"Turkey fights Ebola-like fever outbreak
That's odd. I would've expected Salmonella."
That is so badddd!!!....LOL
Splendid! Now that bird flu is petered out this will be more fun for the end of the world crowd:)
PIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGG............
Infected people can transmit the virus by blood, saliva or droplets from sneezing. The disease causes a sharp drop in platelets, which allow the blood to clot. Without rapid treatment by antivirus drugs and replacement of platelets, victims can bleed to death.I guess that kind of stuff just happens in that geo-political region (nothing to see here, move along now)... /conspiritorial tone OFF This hasn't been posted in any forum of repute, except the hysterical inner-sanctum-talking-amongst-ourselves-only-and-no-threat-possible-even-with-threat-of-madmen-loose-in-the-world-they-couldn't-use-it-to-their-advantage-if-they-tried-(despite-how-much-money-they-had-at-their-beck-and-call-which-incidently-isn't-all-that-much-since-Palestinian/Hex-Ebolia/Hamas-are-indigent-constantly-seeking-funds-and-their-people-are-starving) forum, right?"We will unfortunately keep seeing cases at least until September, when the virus starts to slow down because of the cold weather," said Dr. Onder Ergonul, an associate professor at Marmara University...
After all, recombinant RNA/DNA biology is in its infancy and the knowledge required to weaponize something like this is way beyond most everybody's means/knowledge/capabilities/capacity to execute (and certainly not by 22 Aug.
Vozrozhdeniye Island is a little ways North... but who's to say no one has been on a little expedition up that way...
http://www.welt-atlas.de/datenbank/karten/karte-0-9014.gif
more likely bird flu.
bird flu petering out? Maybe the news is not following it at the moment but the bird flu virus is getting worse and human to human transmission is growing.
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/08090601/H5N1_Karo_Qinghai_HA.html
'aight thanks! I'll run screaming in panic when it shows up:)
Well thanks, I always appreciate the snide little insults on here of people who don't know me. I've studied the bird flu issue and frankly find that none of the predictions from the alarmists have hit the mark. I can't convince you of that; I know I've tried on other threads here with people and recieved nothing but hysterics in return.
If you want to believe that nonsense I'm not stopping you. But just because someone disagrees with you is no reason to resort to childish remarks.
Thank you. My niece and her father are in Anatolia on vacation right now.
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