No, exposure to cowpox begets resistance or immunity to smallpox, not chicken pox. Chicken pox is not a true pox at all, but a herpes virus.
Posted on 06/09/2002 1:29:09 PM PDT by ex-Texan
Smallpox Epidemic Rapidly Spreading In Pakistan Province
By Muqaddam Khan
SWABI, Pakistan - The smallpox epidemic is rapidly spreading in these parts of the province, but the district health department has failed to take any step to contain this deadly disease, Dawn learnt here on Saturday.
It has been reported from different parts of the Swabi district that a large number of children have suffered from smallpox, but the authorities concerned have failed to take any action to prevent this disease or immunize the people against it.
Smallpox is a fatal disease which causes high fever, leaves permanent marks on the skin and spreads very fast. Timely treatment and precautionary measures are vital for controlling this malady.
A health official said that the dilemma of the people was that they were not aware of the danger aspects of this ailment as the children suffering from it have neither been kept in isolation nor properly treated. And this resulted in the spread of the virus.
In most of the cases, the children of a family or those living close to each other, contract it at one and the same time.
The residents of Naro Banda, a rural area in the district, told this correspondent that a majority of the children in the village had suffered from smallpox a few years back. "My two brothers, Shams and Akhtar, have been afflicted by smallpox and I have appealed to the officials concerned, but they did not bother either to visit the area or take steps for controlling it," said Mukhtaj Ahmad of Naro Banda.
The mother of a sick child said she had informed the lady health workers about the spread of the disease four days ago, but no action was taken.
It was also noticed that most of the parents of the sick children were uneducated. They had either approached the quack living nearby, or the self-made homeopath doctors to treat the children, but no visible improvement could be seen in the health of the children.
If the district health department delayed taking steps for containing the disease, the epidemic may spread to other areas in the vicinity, or the whole of the district, for that matter.
The suffering people have appealed to the NWFP governor, district government bosses and health officials to send in special teams to extend necessary health cover to the children
I just cannot imagine those Pali's have close contact with monkeys but camels are another story. Did you people hear the one about the French Foreign Legion Captain and his camel .... You need a stool for that joke. Heheeehehee.
True, and I don't want to get off a tangent here, but anthrax is present in the US and we have had very rare cases where people contracted the disease. The authorities were trying to make the point that one case did not prove a terrorist attack.
Turns out they were wrong.
I suspect here that the Pakistanis don't call this disease by the same word we do. Otherwise this story would be talking about whole villages wiped out, or at least 50% mortality rate among all ages.
Personally, I think the threat of a smallpox attack is over-rated, for a variety of reasons. We need to prepare for it, no question, but I suspect that the word "smallpox" is being used like "nerve gas" or "dirty nukes" as a codeword for anthrax. Keeps people on their toes, but makes the threat nice and hypothetical so people don't connect the dots. Wouldn't be good for morale if people grasp clearly that we are in a standoff with the Iraqi strongman.
No, exposure to cowpox begets resistance or immunity to smallpox, not chicken pox. Chicken pox is not a true pox at all, but a herpes virus.
Could be .. they do tend to test things out on their own people first
I witnessed small pox in the Afghans. There is nothing so horrific to see as a 2 year old child with small pox. I believe that the UN and health officials in the US have known all along that samll pox reoccuring was a definite possiblity. With or without Al Queda.
they're in BIG trouble......
Well I can't believe I missed that. Rooster pox exposure would definitley lead to immunity from chicken pox
However, no such luck with hen pex.
Hard to believe I'm having this CS conversation with Freepers named cajun and Eggs.
Subject: [health] Possible Smallpox Outbreak In Pakistan
Posted By: Vere My Sone Registered User
Posted At: 4/16/01 7:59:57 pm
Reply from Rense-
sorry if this is a repost-but I didn't notice it
www.sightings.com/general10/px.htm
Possible Smallpox Outbreak
In Pakistan
4-16-1
Hello Jeff - This just crossed my desk. If it is smallpox, this is a very sad day in the life of people on planet Earth.
To Patricia Doyle
From Talpur talpurmir@yahoo.com
Source: Daily Star, Karachi
April 16, 2001
Smallpox Cases Suspected In A Village Near Tando Bago
The Daily Star - Karachi
4-15-1
TANDO BAGO - The deadly disease smallpox, according to medical science has long been eradicated from the world. The malady afflicting a 20-year old villager and his 4-year old nephew in Qasim Magrio, a village near Tando Bago town, seems to be [similar to] this disease. The disease afflicted them 2 weeks ago, [and they now have festering sores]. They have applied all sorts of ointments to the wounds, as prescribed by doctors, but in vain. They were taken to Taluka Hospital, Tando Bago, but the doctors could not diagnose the mysterious malady. Now the condition of the patients is getting worse. Dr Ali Ahmed Khatri the medical superintendent of Taluka Hospital, Tando Bago, talking to The Star said that although smallpox has long since been eradicated he could not rule out the possibility of its reappearance.
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