SMALL POX AND HALLOWEEN CANDY- A short primer on viral disease transmission

Dr. Brian Kopp (proud2bRC)

[Brian Kopp DPM]

A short primer on viral disease transmission. Many viral diseases are transmitted via fomites:

fomite

SYLLABICATION: fo·mite
PRONUNCIATION: fmt
NOUN: An inanimate object or substance that is capable of transmitting infectious organisms from one individual to another.
ETYMOLOGY: Back-formation from New Latin fmits, pl. of Latin fmes, tinder, from fovre, to warm. See dhegwh- in Appendix I.

In other words, you touch something, get the virus on your hand, then touch you face, mouth, nose or other mucus membrane.

Candy wrappers would be a perfect fomite because the act of handling the candy wrapper occurs immediately before the contact with the mouth.

In other words, no need to inject anything.

Just a light dusting of smallpox virus in the form or a powder. If done correctly it would be undetectable.

And unlike anthrax, which requires thousands of huge bacterial spores be inhaled into the lungs, relatively few microscopic smallpox viruses would be required. And nasal exposure would be sufficient to cause full blown infection, whereas nasal exposure with anthrax is relatively harmless.

No trick or treating for my kids this year.

• Contact with fomites:
  1. Indirect contact transmission is a form of contact transmission where transmission occurs from a reservoir via inanimate objects.
  2. These objects generally are referred to as fomites.
  3. Fomites are basically almost anything an infected individual (or reservoir) can touch, upon which can be left a residue of contagious pathogen.
• Exceptions include the various inanimates referred to as vehicles:
  1. food
  2. air
  3. liquids
• Typically it is more difficult to avoid indirect contact transmission than it is to avoid direct contact transmission.
• A certain degree of organismal durability may be necessary to survive passage on a fomite.
• The best way to prevent indirect contact transmission is by:
  1. avoiding contact with fomites
  2. avoiding contact of hands with mucous membranes especially when handling or potentially handling fomites
  3. the use of barriers when handling fomites
  4. disinfecting fomites before handling
  Large candy purchases investigated by FBI

  News/Current Events
  Source: Bergen NJ Record
  Published: October 20, 2001 Author: MITCHEL MADDUX and PETER POCHNA
  Posted on 10/20/01 11:17 PM Eastern by spycatcher
  

  The FBI said Friday that it is investigating the cash purchase of "large quantities" of candy from Costco stores in Hackensack and Wayne.

  "We have been advised and we are looking into the incident of a gentleman buying large quantities of candy," said Sandra Carroll, an FBI spokeswoman in Newark.

  Carroll declined to identify the purchaser, but indicated that he is in federal custody for immigration law reasons not related to the purchase of the candy.

  "I cannot comment on INS detainees," Carroll said.

  Carroll said it would be premature to draw conclusions about the purchaser's intent for the candy, which agents had not found by Friday night. She declined to describe the candy.

  "We have no evidence or information for us to suspect there is any reason to cancel scheduled events," Carroll said when asked if the FBI had concerns about the safety of Halloween. "However, the public is encouraged to remain alert but calm."

  Hackensack police took a report from Costco about the candy purchase at the Hackensack store at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday. The police then contacted the FBI.

  "They told us to stay out of it," said Hackensack Police Chief Charles "Ken" Zisa.

  Zisa said the FBI had already learned about the purchase. A local Costco manager had reported the incident to corporate headquarters, near Seattle, and had sent a videotape from a store security camera, Zisa said.

  An official at Costco's corporate headquarters said Friday night that no one was available to comment on the matter. Another Costco official, who declined to be identified, said such large purchases from the chain of wholesale grocery and household goods stores are not uncommon.

  Kerry Gill, a spokesman for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service in Newark, said he could not discuss the case because of confidentiality policies.

  
  

Candy man

News/Current Events
Source: snopes.com
Published: Oct 20 Author: Snopes.com
Posted on 10/20/01 6:26 PM Eastern by earaiak

I called the Hackensack location (because I grew sick of the false alarms and rumors) and this information is true. Guys be careful a notice just came to me from someone that works in Costco. 2 Arabic guys bought more than $35,000.00 dollars worth of candy, in Wayne $15,000.00 & in Hackensack $20,0000.00. After they left they found out their Costco i.d was fake, & they paid the whole thing cash. The F.B.I. was notified just be careful with your kids for trick o' treating on Halloween!!! i just thought u wanted to know that. DON"T LET THOSE KIDS GO OUT FOR HALLOWEEN!

---

No kneejerking allowed. So far it hasn't been unsubstantiated. Check out the snopes site for more info: The Candy Man

[griffin]

Thanks and BTTT

[RoseyT]

I think I read a post sometime in the past couple of weeks about a truckload of candy being stolen, but turning up later with none of the candy missing.
Does anyone remember this or did I dream it? I searched for the thread and can't find it.

[shezza]

Did you actually even read the article? It says that 2 Arab men bought $35,000 worth of candy, paid in cash, and had a fake Costco I.D. Doesn't that make any alarm bells ring in your brain? Or are you a member of the "move along, nothing to see here, go buy a new car" crowd?

I don't know of anyone in my neighborhood who spends $100 on candy, much less tens of thousands (and there are tons of kids around here, several Halloween parties, too). But to each his own, huh? Trick or treat!

[shezza]

Ping!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

A Go Bears! bump
from a Chicago native son!

[Dianna]

There was a story about a truckload of fertilizer...

[NetSurfer]

I was thinking/posting about the same thing, a week ago. I gave myself a tinfoil disclaimer at that time, but I'll take the hat off, now.

Smallpox and food distribution

Hadn't thought about the wildfire spread via the school system and the warning about America's children/America's mothers crying. Excellent post, OKC.

[Thisiswhoweare]

Unfortunately, there is nothing listed in the NBC Guidebook except the alcohol and acetone mix for one hour quoted, which is obviously an equipment decontamination. The standard decontamination for skin offered for BW weapons is a 1 to 10 mix of off the shelf bleach to water (this renders a 0.5 % sodium hypochloride solution) which is to be applied for 15 to 20 minutes. I've also heard that this recommendation is going to be increased to a 15% mix, due to the increased persitence of some weaponized BW agents. 5% is recommended for equipment, which is almost straight from the bottle for off the shelf bleach (Chlorox, for instance is actually 5.25% as sold). I have also seen UV rays for recommended clothing. The acetone and 'alcohol for an hour',however, tells me this is some pretty hot stuff.

[Sabertooth]

"The acetone and 'alcohol for an hour',however, tells me this is some pretty hot stuff."

Wellll...

I've been downing acetone and alcohol all day, so I'm ready.

[samtheman]

Why are these people still in our country? When are we going to do the right thing and send them all home?

[No_Doll_i]

Thisiswhoweare Thanks for the info.
Sabertooth LoL I would like to think tequila would work as well as acetone.

[FallGuy]

Thanks for the ping friend. This is very important!

[Sabertooth]

"Why are these people still in our country? When are we going to do the right thing and send them all home?"

After more people die. Maybe.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

"Thanks for the ping friend"

Your Welcome!

[countrydummy]

Sorry Stefan, that Doc that was on Fox today, and one that was on Friday says our vaccines are not any good! About a month ago I got and email telling of a terrible disease being spread through some form of a spongue in the mail....looked it up and of course it was a hoax. However, anthrax is flying around everywhere in the mail!

[R_Kangel]

I am reminded of the time when I was a child, one Saturday morning my father and I went out to feed our chickens and gather some eggs for the customary family weekend breakfast. I figure that we must have had at least 20-30 of them (chickens). "They sure are quiet this morning" my dad mumbled to himself with a very visibly concerned frown on his face. As we neared the coop there was kind of a foul odor hanging in the still morning air. He slowly opened the coop door. "Stay outside!" he barked as he stepped inside. There was a lot of yelling of some very angry words that I was not used to hearing coming from my fathers mouth. I ran inside to find out what was wrong. What I saw inside was not very pretty. It was very obvious that our much anticipated Saturday morning breakfast would have to wait. Suddenly I did not have an appetite any more because inside I gazed upon all of our chickens strewn about, ravaged and bloody....motionless and very very dead. "Foxes" my dad repeated over and over... "Damn foxes." I am starting to experience the same sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. Just as I did so many years ago. Only this time I seem to feel much like those poor chickens that went to rest one evening and never lived another day again. Only this time on a much much larger scale. I try pinching myself in hopes of waking myself up from this bad dream about some terrorist foxes running loose inside the only home that we have. This home that we call America, the land of the free. These foxes are here dwelling inside our country waiting to shed the blood of the innocents.

[onedoug]

TFTF, but I don't belive it.

[goodieD]

Thank you for the info. Very important at this time of year. No worries on our end, we don't do halloween.

[bonesmccoy]

You are correct. Good observation and good info.

[bonesmccoy]

Last week I was suggesting that we should keep calm about the anthrax scares. I still feel that way. We won't help each other by exacerbating our fears. The President said some good things in his speech before the Congress. Love yOUR kids.

I still feel that way. Maybe the idea of sending our children around to neighbor houses isn't such a great idea. I used to get a kick out of collecting great candy bars from the rich man down the street. But, in the end, don't most American mom's end up worried about the candy anyway? Why put your family through the worry? Maybe instead, this year, you patriotic moms can get the kids and moms together at a home and play some Fall games (bobbing for apples? Pin the tail on the Donkey? Patriotic music and teach our kids about the Civil War and American values (instead of how to buy more junk food and acting like goblins and demons)?

Call me old-fashioned, but is there anything wrong with NOT choosing to change this modern-day ritual? This is a great opportunity for those freeper mom's to lead with grace and boldness.

Don't leave your kids in the dark and isolated! Get them together with other neighborhood or family members and let them play! After all, if our children can't learn to form good bonds and friendships and trust, then the terrorists have not only created immediate problems. If our children can not learn to trust, it will destroy our economy and our society for 100 years or more

So, my suggestion is this. Instead of having your children run around and having no idea where or who is interacting with your child; moms should be calling other moms and throwing smaller parties for their kids.