Exotic animal dealer who had monkeypox has Q fever...probably caught while inspecting cows...

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | July 30, 2003 | MARILYNN MARCHIONE

[Shermy]

Info on Q Fever

Fever Profile

Q fever is a disease that people can get from livestock, such as cattle, sheep and goats. It's rare - only eight cases have been reported in Wisconsin since 1980, and only about two dozen cases occur in the United States each year. Infections usually involve people who work with livestock or animal waste. Q Fever Is

Caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, a germ that, like anthrax, forms spores and can live for years in dust or soil. Transmitted when people breathe in the germ, often in spore form. It's rarely spread person to person. Not symptomatic in half of people who get it. The rest get an illness like severe flu, starting with a high fever lasting one to two weeks, severe headache, muscle aches, confusion, chills, sweats, sore throat, dry cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and chest pain. Of those who get sick, 30% to 50% develop pneumonia, and 1% to 2% die. Some people develop long-lasting liver or heart problems. Treated with antibiotics. Considered a potential bioterrorism weapon because of its potential to be aerosolized, like anthrax.

Sources: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

[Shermy]

Ping.

[genefromjersey]

ping

[Princeton]

[Domestic Church]

Why is anyone who is in the meat inspection business given clearance to be an exotic pet dealer? Or is there any kind of clearance given to this position?

[Judith Anne]

That's an excellent question.

[Joe 6-pack]

"Why is anyone who is in the meat inspection business given clearance to be an exotic pet dealer? Or is there any kind of clearance given to this position?"

Actually, I found it kind of curious that while I was in the Army, the Veterinary Corps was the proponent for much of the industrial / occupational / field hygiene, and do the inspections in these areas.

[Shermy]

Ping.

[Dog]

National statistics on it started to be collected only in 2000, and that's because the germ is considered a potential bioterrorism weapon because it can be aerosolized and cause pneumonia.

Shermy did Iraq ever try to convert Q fever into a bio weapon?

[FairOpinion]

Maybe there are some prairie dogs or other animals in pet shops which are infected with Q-fever.

I personally think West Nile, then monkeypox, then Q-fever is getting to be a bit much.

Q-fever is listed as one of the agents in bioterror.

http://www.vdem.state.va.us/prepare/terrorismtoolkit/terrguide/ref.htm

[FairOpinion]

"The Soviets, and possibly Iraq, have developed and tested Q fever. And the cult Aum Shinrikyo obtained the microbe and toyed unsuccessfully with its use. Q fever may appeal less to bioterrorists than to militaries, however, because it is an inherently survivable disease. "

From NOVA.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bioterror/agen_qfever.html

[Dog]

The Iraqis did import Q fever and I found it in a UN report.

Q Fever and Iraq..

[Shermy]

I found this...

http://www.healthboards.com/gulf-war-syndrome/592.html

Posted by Barry Kapplan on August 21, 2000 at 10:11:14:

In Reply to: GWS & Liver problems posted by Sue on August 16, 2000 at 14:02:07:

I have liver problems associated with my Gulf War experiance that started in Iraq, APR 1991. Whatever got me has done a job on my cardiac, neuro, gastro, and other systems. My LFT's (liver function tests) have been abnormal since then and have proceeded to become worse. Additionally, I had two liver biopsies taken at Walter Reed AMC, Jan 1993 and June 2000. The first one was non-diagnostic and the second one was very abnormal. They (VA and US Army) have repeatedly tested me for all the known Hepatitus variations and other liver problems and they come up normal. I am postive for "Q fever" or something that reacts to the test like "Q fever". Also my spleen has been chronically enlarged for a number of years.

What they did to me /ideas: Full LFT's (SGOT/ SPGT ??), Q fever titer test, full Hepatitus series (A-D), if the LFT's are abnormal go for CAT Scan of abdomin to look at liver and spleen. If LFT's are abnormal and there is anything, even small, wrong with the liver CAT Scan, you may want to talk with your GI Dr. ref a liver biopsy. Stop all Alcohol or other drug useage, be able to say to the Dr.s: "ZERO Intake", that will make things much easier.

I'm just a retired Army guy, but my wife is a medical professional. I will have her look at this when she gets off shift to see if I goofed anything up and if she can add anything to it. She is the one who actually manages my medical care and remembers all the important stuff.

-Barry
mail to: kapplanfarm@yahoo.com

[Domestic Church]

Most large animal veterinarians don't routinely handle exotic animals aside from an occasional alpaca/llama/emu. I would expect them to be involved in anything dealing with cattle and they are innoculated against a wide variety of illnesses in which the general public aren't routinely vaccinated. Also it's supposedly harder to get into vet school than it is med school so these folks are intelligent to say the least.

This guy with Q fever was handling african rats and who knows what else and inspecting the meat we eat.

[Shermy]

Good story here too.

[Fifth Business]

Time to take him out to the back forty.

[_Jim]

Hmmm ... Jack Hanna has spoken about his experiences a few times about various viri he has picked up while working with wild animals notably apes ...

[_Jim]

I personally think West Nile, then monkeypox, then Q-fever is getting to be a bit much.

Oh brother ... break out the mosquite netting and call the wagon for this guy ...

[FairOpinion]

"break out the mosquite netting and call the wagon for this guy ... "

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Why don't you go do some research first.