Cats Likely Source of SARS, Say Researchers (Chinese delicacy likely source of deadly virus)

VOA News ^ | 5/23/03 | Katherine Maria

[ppaul]

A Hong Kong researcher says a wild animal considered a dining delicacy is the carrier of a virus that causes SARS. The finding fits earlier speculation that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome originated in wild animals.

Hong Kong University revealed Friday that the civet cat, a wild animal indigenous to southern China, is the likely source of the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

Dr. K.Y. Yuen said researchers at the Shenzhen Center of Disease Control found four strains of the virus in a large percentage of civet cats. "From a special type of civet cat, we are able to isolate the coronavirus," he said, "and this coronavirus on genomic analysis was found to be very similar to the coronavirus causing SARS in humans. But if you cannot control the further jumping of such virus from animals to human, the same epidemic can occur again."

The civet, a small long mammal with short legs and a pointed snout, is a delicacy in southern Chinese cuisine. Dr. Yuen says the disease likely jumped from animal to human when it was being killed or prepared for cooking.

But the cats themselves do not display any signs of illness, according to Dr. Yuen, perhaps indicating their immune system might be geared toward controling the virus. Dr. Yuen said the finding might not lead to a vaccine or cure for SARS in humans, but he urged people in China to stop selling the animals in food markets to limit possible transmission of the virus.

In a separate development, the World Health Organization on Friday lifted its travel advisory on Hong Kong and the Chinese province of Guangdong. Hong Kong's leader Tung Chee-hwa welcomed the decision.

The advisory went into effect on April 2, when the WHO saw the disease spreading rapidly through Hong Kong, and no one knew why or how. Airlines, hotels and restaurants suffered huge losses, as tourists and business travelers deferred visits to the region and Hong Kong residents stayed home.

Detected in southern China last November, SARS started spreading in Hong Kong in early March. It was then carried to other cities around the world by airline travelers. The disease, which causes a potentially deadly pneumonia, has afflicted more than 8,000 people worldwide with almost 90 percent of cases occurring in China and Hong Kong. Globally, SARS has killed more than 700 people.

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Thank you so much for your personal attacks. I guess painting an entire civilization based soley upon your opinion of our dietary habits is considered sane and rational. Whatever, I will go now and enjoy my stir-fried dog meat.

[Lx]

I'm looking at that bumper sticker right now. A co-worker gave it to me because he knew I love cats. I posted it on my cube at an old job and you should have heard some of the comments I heard. Despite the pictures of all my cats in my cube.

I foster cats until we can find them a suitable home but still, if you can't laugh at yourself you've got some serious problems.

What I don't understand is the people who outright say that they hate cats. I cannot for the life of me understand why.
I like dogs but yappers make me want to try out my hydrashocks on em but I still would never do it.

BTW, does anyone have that fortune cookie cartoon where the fortune is, "That wasn't chicken"?

I especially like the bumper sticker that says, "Looking for your cat, look under my rear tire". Real classy and if I saw it in action it would be a hard decision between calling the cops and dealing with it myself.

What kind of gutless coward would try and kill an innocent animal for pleasure unless they planned on eating them. That, I understand.

I don't want to hear from people who complain about neighbor's cats defecating on their lawns. It's not the cat's fault the owner is a moron, shoot them not the cat. All cats should be indoor cats.

[Lx]

That sounds exactly like a National Lampoon article on cooking alien creature and the Volvox if my memory is correct tastes better the more violently you kill it. Since this was from a parody over twenty years ago, I could be wrong.

[Lx]

Oops, posts 107 has the exact graphic I was looking for. Of course, nothing compares to attempting to eat what appears to be fried chicken feet. Must have been the poor man's lobster.

[ppaul]

I thought you were kidding.
So I did a web search.
You were not kidding.
No sh*t!!!

Kopi Luwak comes from the islands of Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi which are part of the Indonesian Archipelago’s island chain. On these Indonesian islands, there's a small marsupial called the Paradoxurus. This marsupial is a tree-dwelling animal belonging to the Sibet family. Once regarded by the Indonesians as pests because they climb into the coffee trees and eat only the ripest, reddest coffee cherries. What these animals eat they must also digest and eventually excrete. Some brazen local gathered the beans, which come through the digestion process fairly intact, still wrapped in layers of the cherries' mucilage.

The enzymes in the animals' stomachs, though, appear to add something unique to the coffee's flavor through fermentation. Yes the most expensive…the rarest coffee in the world is partially pre-digested and excreted by the Paradoxurus.

What began as, presumably, a way for the natives to get coffee without climbing the trees has evolved into the world's priciest specialty coffee. How does it taste? It's really good, heavy with a caramel taste, heavy body. It smells musty and jungle-like green, but it roasts up real nice. It's a most complex coffee with unusual flavor due to the natural fermentation the coffee beans undergo in the paradoxurus' digestive system. The stomach acids and enzymes are very different from fermenting beans in water.

The flavor is earthy with a musty tone that’s heavy bodied. It's almost syrupy with a unique aroma. It's an unbelievable taste in your mouth: richness, body, earthiness, smooth.

Is Kopi Luwak worth it’s price? Those who have been fortunate enough to try it at a cupping are delighted with it’s intriguing chocolaty, syrupy taste and would enjoy it whenever it is available. By the cup, it costs no more than a fancy latte at around $5.00 per cup, when you can find it.

They sell the "crap" HERE

[daylate-dollarshort]

I'm simply amazed that you're the only person that I'm aware of that even took the time to search to verify my post. If I didn't know about this stuff and read what I posted I'd have been sure that I was full of beans.

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"Those who have been fortunate enough to try it at a cupping are delighted with it’s intriguing chocolaty, syrupy taste and would enjoy it whenever it is available."

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After my brother had his "fortunate" cup he was less then delighted, said nothing of of having been intriged and made no reference to chocolate!

[gd124]

It is a pure myth that adrenalin makes meat more tender. Think about it. When you are stressed, your muscles become tight and sore. When you are not stressed, your muscles become relaxed. The same thing applies to animals/

[gd124]

Why do you think Japanese Kobe beef is so tender and flavorsome? It is because the animals live as stress free lives as possible, even getting massaged.