[FairOpinion]

I just started to look, and what I am finding, I don't like.

WHERE did these prairie dogs come from?!

Monkey pox - is a rare smallpox like disease of children in central Africa. It is acquired from monkeys or wild squirrels, but does occasionally spread from man to man in unvaccinated communities. Antigenically cross-reacts with other poxviruses. Sick monkeys have not been identified, but apparently healthy animals have antibodies.

http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/mmi/jmoodie/pox2.html


Monkey Pox and Small Pox
In the 20 years since WHO documented that small pox has been eradicated, doctors and health departments no longer vaccinate children or adults to prevent small pox. Indeed, the WHO planned to destroy the remaining small pox viruses that have been kept by the CDC in the US and in Novosibirsk in Russia (ASA 94-6 ). Small pox vaccinations also protected against monkey pox (normally transmitted from monkeys to humans) and an unanticipated result has been an increase in monkey pox in humans. Not only is monkey pox increasing, but the number of human-to-human transmissions are also increasing. There have been over 170 new cases of monkey pox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) since March 1997. While some cases may be chicken pox, there is enough concern that WHO is sending an investigating team in to the Congo.

http://www.asanltr.com/ASANews-97/poxvaccines.htm

[Orange1998]

Thanks for the informative update.

[Paleo Conservative]

In the 20 years since WHO documented that small pox has been eradicated, doctors and health departments no longer vaccinate children or adults to prevent small pox. Indeed, the WHO planned to destroy the remaining small pox viruses that have been kept by the CDC in the US and in Novosibirsk in Russia (ASA 94-6 ). Small pox vaccinations also protected against monkey pox (normally transmitted from monkeys to humans) and an unanticipated result has been an increase in monkey pox in humans. Not only is monkey pox increasing, but the number of human-to-human transmissions are also increasing.

So what's really needed is a safer smallpox vaccination that can be routinely administered in areas where monkeypox is endemic in wild animals.

[blam]

My smallpox vaccination I got in the early 50's should protect me against this virus.

[af_vet_rr]

I don't know where the prairie dogs came from, but as I posted in another thread, I really don't think they should be pets. If you have ever seen a praire dog town, you would see what I mean, they should be living amongst a lot of other prairie dogs, not somebody's pet.

It's the equivalent of having a large dog and keeping it confined to a small room.