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Here comes monkeypox
Canada.com ^ | June 10, 2003 | Margaret Munro

Posted on 06/10/2003 3:01:30 PM PDT by FairOpinion

As if SARS, mad cow and West Nile virus were not enough, Health Canada is advising public health officials to be on the lookout for monkeypox, a serious disease related to smallpox, which has made its first appearance in North America.

No cases have been reported in Canada, but an advisory is being sent to medical officials and public health labs across the country about an "epidemic" in the U.S. and the need to watch for the disease, said Dr. Frank Plummer, head of Health Canada's national microbiology laboratory in Winnipeg.

Thirty-seven people in the U.S. Midwest are believed to be infected with the virus, which they picked up from pet prairie dogs. The prairie dogs are believed to have contracted the virus from Gambian giant-pouched rats from Africa, imported by an exotic pet dealer in the Chicago area.

The pets passed on the virus to their owners. One four-year-old girl was nipped on the finger. Both she and her parents developed monkeypox.

Seven people have been hospitalized, but no one has died.

The disease, which manifests itself as blisters on the skin, high fevers, drenching sweat and headaches, is also considered a potential bioterror agent. However, the outbreak doesn't appear to be bioterrorism.

Steve Ostroff, deputy director of the CDC's National Center for Infectious Diseases, said he expects the number of cases to rise as human and animal samples are tested. But Dr. Ostroff said only people who had direct contact with infected prairie dogs, or in one case a rabbit, have come down with the illness.

"For the average citizen, I would not necessarily be concerned at this point of being exposed to monkeypox."

Disease specialists say there is a good chance the virus can be contained if all the infected animals can be found and destroyed. But if it gets loose in wild prairie dogs, which are widespread on the Prairies, authorities will have to deal with another serious exotic disease.

"I'd say that could be a health crisis, depending how well it spreads," says professor Grant McFadden, a specialist in pox diseases at the University of Western Ontario, in London.

He says the disease is a "much more serious" for humans than West Nile. The death rate for monkeypox has been known to be as high as 10 per cent in Africa, though the strain on the loose in the U.S. appears to be less virulent.

If the virus were to get into the wild, Mr. McFadden might have to consider vaccinating people with smallpox vaccine, which protects against both that disease and monkeypox. There is a stockpile of the vaccine available in Canada, but doctors are not anxious to use it because the vaccine can have serious health effects.

Mr. McFadden says he was "shocked" to learn the virus had arrived in the U.S. But he said it should be "fairly controllable."

"If they can round up all the infected animals that should be the end of it," he said.

The U.S. pet distributor, Phillip Moberley, has reported that he voluntarily quarantined his home-based business and killed 70 prairie dogs.

Dr. Plummer said Canadian officials were not given a heads-up about the outbreak from the CDC. "It would have been good to have known a bit of ahead of time," he said, adding he learned about the outbreak on the Internet and by media reports.

Facts About the Monkeypox Virus

- The incubation period is about 12 days.

- The symptoms start with fever, headache, body aches, chills, drenching sweat and sometimes a cough. This is followed one to 10 days later by a rash with pustules that eventually crust over. They can occur almost anywhere on the body.

- In Africa, fatality rates range from one per cent to 10 per cent. In the current U.S. outbreak, no one has died.

- The smallpox vaccine is effective at stopping infection. Those who got vaccinated before smallpox shots were discontinued in the 1970s may still have at least partial protection.

- In the U.S. outbreak, victims caught the virus through close contact with sick animals. Most handled the animals and were bitten or had breaks in their skin.

- The virus can be passed from from person to person, especially if they have sores.

- In Africa, squirrels are thought to be a common source of the virus. Rabbits and rodents can also carry it, as well as apes and monkeys. The disease was first identified in monkeys.

- To avoid catching the virus, avoid contact with prairie dogs or Gambian giant rats that appear sick, especially if they are missing patches of fur, have rashes or have a discharge from their eyes or nose. Wash hands thoroughly after contact with these or any sick animals.


TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: canada; gambianrats; health; monkeypox; orthopoxvirus; outbreak; palehorse; prairiedog; smallpox; virus
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To: All
Indiana's Number Of Suspected Monkeypox Cases Up To 23: Officials: As Many As 100 Residents May Have Been Exposed.
21 posted on 06/10/2003 4:27:50 PM PDT by aristeides
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To: All
Florida health officials watching closely for monkeypox.
22 posted on 06/10/2003 4:38:13 PM PDT by aristeides
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To: All
Monkeypox Prompts Voluntary Quarantine.
23 posted on 06/10/2003 4:39:30 PM PDT by aristeides
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To: aristeides

24 posted on 06/10/2003 4:43:04 PM PDT by Rome2000 (Convicted felons for Kerry)
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To: All
Monkeypox could spread via wildlife .
25 posted on 06/10/2003 4:43:04 PM PDT by aristeides
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To: FairOpinion
SEEMS like just YESTERDAY that SARS was all the rage!
26 posted on 06/10/2003 4:43:57 PM PDT by _Jim
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To: FairOpinion
We may have found this summer's "shark bite" story. (The SARS thing is so 20 minutes ago...)
27 posted on 06/10/2003 4:45:07 PM PDT by Redcloak (All work and no FReep makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no FReep make s Jack a dul boy. Allwork an)
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To: aristeides
monkeypox is a more serious disease than West Nile

Oh gees, now you have gone and done it. You know better that to diss the holy grail of West Nile. *Incoming*

28 posted on 06/10/2003 4:49:00 PM PDT by CathyRyan (Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.)
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To: Redcloak
"shark bite" story

Ya .. lot's of video complete with nasty looking lesions, blisters, fat mid-western honeys holding onto their pet-owning children ...

29 posted on 06/10/2003 4:49:15 PM PDT by _Jim
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To: _Jim
Looks like everyone has monkey virus except the monkies. I'm imagining a 60's rock group covered with lessions. Not a pretty sight.
30 posted on 06/10/2003 4:58:37 PM PDT by dc-zoo
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To: Redcloak
We may have found this summer's "shark bite" story.

And now in Florida too!

Fla. Family Monitored For Monkeypox

31 posted on 06/10/2003 4:59:08 PM PDT by Shermy
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To: aristeides
I think the way these cases of monkey pox spread from just one pet store shows to several states, show easy it is to infect people in various geographical areas, if someone would have a motive to do so.

The reason that bioterror is a serious threat, because it can be done so clandestinly and by the time people start to realize what's happening, it's already all over the country.

Look at how the WNV spread from one point of origin in the US to the entire country.

For the record, I am not claiming that any of these are terror attacks, (but I don't rule them out either) but pointing out how easy diseases can spread, once they have been introduced in the US.

Just think if someone is really trying to infect a lot of people.

32 posted on 06/10/2003 5:02:02 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: dc-zoo
Not a pretty sight.

I'd rather have more 'shark stories' - better locale, better scenery, prettier victims, et cetra ... maybe we can 'ding' the media into covering more shark stories (ratings!) ...

(NOT that I want more people bitten nor do I like to see people or sharks harmed.)

33 posted on 06/10/2003 5:09:43 PM PDT by _Jim
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To: Trust but Verify; brigette
"These threads reproduce like rabbits."

Why do you feel the need to police the 'monkeypox' threads. Just do what I do...and that is, when I find something I don't like or are not interested in, I IGNORE IT! Try that!

34 posted on 06/10/2003 5:12:12 PM PDT by blam
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To: FairOpinion
Look at how the WNV spread from one point of origin in the US to the entire country.

HOW much do you want to bet that it brought in by an infected, imported, wild bird bought by the Bronx Zoo?

35 posted on 06/10/2003 5:12:29 PM PDT by _Jim
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To: _Jim
I'd rather have more 'shark stories' - better locale, better scenery, prettier victims, et cetra ... maybe we can 'ding' the media into covering more shark stories (ratings!) ...

Not to mention the foreboding music of JAWS going through your head when shark stories are reported. What the hell kind of music do you play to the Prairie Dog menace??

36 posted on 06/10/2003 5:16:10 PM PDT by small voice in the wilderness
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To: small voice in the wilderness
The chipmunks singing Kung Fu Fighting. ;)
37 posted on 06/10/2003 5:21:11 PM PDT by CathyRyan (Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.)
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To: _Jim
As far as I know, none of the people who originally came down with West Nile Virus had any connection to the zoo.
38 posted on 06/10/2003 5:23:00 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: small voice in the wilderness
How 'bout "Bury Me on the Old Prarie"?
39 posted on 06/10/2003 5:23:15 PM PDT by dc-zoo
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To: blam
Maybe you should also ignore posts are that not directed at you!!
40 posted on 06/10/2003 5:25:06 PM PDT by Trust but Verify
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