Posted on 10/21/2001 10:34:13 AM PDT by 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.
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
"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.
News/Current Events
Source: snopes.com
Published: Oct 20 Author: Snopes.com
Posted on 10/20/01 6:26 PM Eastern by earaiak
No kneejerking allowed. So far it hasn't been unsubstantiated. Check out the snopes site for more info: The Candy Man
LOL Snicker.
While of course the chances of him having been exposed to smallpox virus is vanishingly small, it's still frightening to have a child come down with *anything* right now. If smallpox virus were used as a weapon, some child, somewhere, would have to be the first. I feel a fear no fever has ever inspired before.
I won't sleep easily again until my child can be vaccinated for smallpox.
STOP THIS Father Wu member since October 19, 2001. This is a ridiculous email which has been circulating the internet for weeks. Why are you trying to pass this BS off as firsthand info?
Note to FReepers - there are some real losers posting on these type of threads - do be discerning in what you choose to believe out of these.
"How about dusting handles of gasloine pumps, or "display" shoes in the malls...or how about BOOKS in a library...sheeesh SOME people are so frigging paranoid... "
You're ignoring that there have been several suspicious purchases of thousands of dollars of Halloween candy by middle eastern men. Suspicious enough that the FBI has some of these men in custody.
Giving children candy that's been infected by a disease that has a 14 day period of dormancy would mean that these kids would be back in school infecting others for two weeks before the first symptoms showed up.
Dunno if you have kids, but schools are like giant petrie dishes. Germs spread quickly. Further, kids have less developed immune systems in general, and since all of these kids were born after 1972, none have been vaccinated.
This would be a far more effective way of starting a plague in numerous localities than gas pump handles or library books.
Admittedly, this is speculative, but we know that we're under terrorist attack, and biological attack... We know there's more to come.
And let me remind you, the FBI is involved... this is not so obviously "paranoia" as you'd like to believe.
The perps could have been vaccinated, as part of the terrorsit bio-attack program.
They infect the candy, then sneak it back into stores. Unsuspecting people buy it and distribute it on Halloween.
All this and more from the Journal of the American Medical Association.
This article substantiates the strong possibility of smallpox as a biological weapon. I'm here to tell you I am scared sh!tless at the information discussed here regarding the vaccine situation and lack of available vaccines, therein! Dr. Brian, I am going to post this as its own separate thread.
This thread is worth a continuing BUMP.
We'd like to be pinged for threads with truly heads-up DANGER AHEAD news, and any threads which give practical lists and tips for preparation, preparing to meet and overcome these challenges.
Thanks for the Pings.
And thanks to the good Doctor for the info.
Cascadians
Oh, fer cryin' out loud! You guys who can't deal with a little forewarning need to quit reading these threads!
Most likely this is some kind of diversion, but it doesn't hurt to be aware. Since when is discussing something "trembling with fear?"
Infect your Grandkids? From here on out, I'm going to hold these tali-whackers personally responsible for anything that goes wrong in my life. If my dog's food goes stale, it's their fault. Any threat to me or mine will result in a confrontation with Ms. Eagle, and seven of her 325 grain eggs.
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