Hepatitis Outbreak Surging

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/thrive/2003/nov/15/111509066.html ^

[FITZ]

What is the answer....inoculation before illness? I still would not want to risk exposure just to build up a natural immunity.... Because of this polio was nearly eradicated in this country. What are your thoughts on this?

I think the Hepatitis A vaccine would give us a false sense of security since there are many diseases that are spread the fecal-oral route. Plus in countries like Mexico the infant mortality rate is very high --- "natural" immunity has it's problems obviously --- you have to catch the disease when you're old enough not to die too quickly from dehydration and you have to be healthy to fight it off.

Polio is another disease they still have in Mexico --- and I was just talking to someone who from there who had a rare type of polio as a child and spent much of his life in hospitals. Plus there is cholera, typhoid fever and many others you get from human sewage in your food and water.

[FITZ]

Well, I once got Hepatitis A from some restaurant and it had nothing to do with free trade...

You don't just get Hepatitis A ---- it is spread fecal-oral --- if you got it, the virus came out of someone's intestines into something you drank or ate.

[FITZ]

I don't know what they do to the beer --- but they put worms into the tequila.

[FITZ]

Average reported cases of hepatitis A per 100,000 population*, 1987-1997
<5 white 5 - <10 yellow 10 - <20 orange >20 red

From the CDC

[Hildy]

If you can't ask a health care worker if they have AIDS or Hepatitis, why in the hell do you think they can ask restaurant workers. I personally know someone who has hepatitis C and she is a nurse who takes blood at a local hospital. I was floored when she said the hospital doesn't know.

[manic4organic]

Shoulda put up those handwashing signs in Spanish.

[dansangel]

You have basically stated the reason that I have been to Mexico only once - in 1988. We stayed at a highly-rated resort in Acapulco and I tried to be very picky about what I ate and drank. I was a vegetarian and thought I was "safe" in that I avoided under-cooked meat, etc.

We arrived home from the airport about 11:00 pm. At about 11:05 pm, I barely made it to the bathroom where I commenced to spend the bulk of my life for the next 11 days.

My physician was perplexed - ran all the tests for parasites and so on, but everything came back negative (thank goodness). I vowed back then that 3 days in Mexico was not worth 11 days sick as a dog and would never return.

What you have shed light on is very frightening - the existence in Mexico of many diseases previously eradicated here in the States. With the influx of illegals, those diseases will run rampant here where we are not naturally immune. Maybe the only way to fight back *is* to reinstitute inoculation in the schools and for the elderly.

[BoozeHag]

I never eat out. Even the most swanky restaurants are suspect. I'm rarely sick, and have never had a weight problem!

[FITZ]

OECD: Infant mortality rate (number of deaths per 1,000 live births) [2002]

I think we might as well plan on watching our entire health standards decrease as we merge our country with Mexico.

[dansangel]

That link really puts things into perspective.

I think we might as well plan on watching our entire health standards decrease as we merge our country with Mexico.

Unfortunately, I think you have hit the nail on the proverbial head.

[Smokin' Joe]

..Personally, I think the restaurant business has gotten as PC as everything else, and they're too afraid to demand high standards of cleanliness and hygiene because they might offend someone!

Awwwww, c'mon. They wear those plastic glove thingies when they pick their noses and scrape at their zits.

Public schools no longer teach about GERMS because someone would figure out the 'safe to be around people with HIV' lie....

[fatima]

Bump,please put me on you ping list

[MeekOneGOP]

Tis done. I added you to the Pennsylvania list.