Here comes monkeypox

Canada.com ^ | June 10, 2003 | Margaret Munro

[Xenalyte]

That's it. I'm naming my band Monkeypox.

(Chick bass players rule!)

[_Jim]

Entered into the record:

The SLE [Saint Louis Encephalitis] epidemic aroused the interest of the chief pathologist at the Bronx Zoo.

She had been concerned - since late July - about a crow die-off near the zoo; over Labor Day weekend, several exhibit birds including flamingoes and a bald eagle had also died.

From: http://www.hopkins-biodefense.org/pages/news/quarter1_3.html

[IYAAYAS]

How could WNV originate at the zoo if the outside birds died months earlier?

[ido_now]

All these new diseases, one after another, "outbreaks" and epidemics that involve from 1 case to a couple thousand?

With a world popluation of over 6 billion what would happen if there was really a new disease?

I think the new one should be renamed "Monkeysh_t."

[_Jim]

However, I do not dismiss the possibility,

How hard would it be to bring over a WNV infected animal -

- feathered or furred - that created this outbreak?

Not hard at all .. and it was probably done *quite* innocently by somebody whether they were a foreigner or perhaps just coming back from overseas and they brought back some animal for their 'kid' to play with ... it could also have been something that stowed away on a ship (like a rat) or a bird 'sucked' over the Atlantic in a storm ... a few bites by mosquitos and BINGO - the virus spreads ...

[_Jim]

"carrier" - not affected by the virus ...

[IYAAYAS]

Remember we're talking about metro NYC here. Since mosquitos are the real carriers and there are far more people in NYC than birds, it's more likely it was spread from human to mosquito to birds.

[FairOpinion]

"You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us...
-Diogenesis"

Great sig line. :)

[_Jim]

it's more likely it was spread from human to mosquito to birds.

The earliest reported date I have seen is the one posted above mentioning late July w/dead crows being found - were there human cases reprted earlier than that? I don't think so ... but I have not researched that aspect thoroughly though either ...

[IYAAYAS]

You don't need to research anything. Use your imagination, your a mosquito in NYC, it's easier to feed on A) a human or B)a bird.

[_Jim]

it's easier to feed on A) a human or B)a bird.

Okay, I'll bite -

B)a bird.

THIS still doesn't end the debate here on which group seemed to be affected first ...

[IYAAYAS]

There's no debate, the point is moot. Just trying to demonstrate the pitfalls of thinking inside the box.

The real debate as of Sunday is which new disease will be most dangerous to us in the future, SARS, monkeypox or WNV. I'm still firmly in the SARS camp. TEOTWAWKI, like it or not.

[_Jim]

There's no debate, the point is moot. Just trying to demonstrate the pitfalls of thinking inside the box.

Lesson not learned here - out of the box thinking is what we do here on FR ... and resuming where I was -

- I'm seeing reports that show dead animal beginning as early as June with the the first human reports in the last 1/3 of August ... while this doesn't prove anything in and of itself it would seem to indicate that WNV was on our shores at least that early ...

[aristeides]

Monkeypox fear spreads to 4 more states .

[aristeides]

Possible cases of disease reach 50 : Monkeypox now may be in 4 states .

[aristeides]

Monkeypox outbreak is a 'fluke,' doctor says.

[blam]

"The real debate as of Sunday is which new disease will be most dangerous to us in the future, SARS, monkeypox or WNV. I'm still firmly in the SARS camp. TEOTWAWKI, like it or not."

This little 'fluke' is still in the collective minds of everyone in this area

Church Street Graveyard

Neat pictures, check them out.

[IYAAYAS]

At this rate we'll have more monkeypox in 5 days than the whole of Africa has had in ten years. Just a fluke. More people have died from ... never mind.

[TBall]

Don't worry

WHO Expert Fears Influenza More than SARS May 29, 2003 (WHO Expert Fears Influenza More than SARS) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS, is a condition in which affected individuals develop a fever, followed by mild respiratory symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. In some cases the respiratory symptoms become increasingly severe and they require oxygen support and mechanical ventilation. Source: The Wall Street Journal Author: Gautam Naik Date: 5/29/2003

[IYAAYAS]

WOW, great pictures! I love old cemeteries. To me they're beautiful and peaceful old places. I grew up on the NE coast of Massachusetts, I've spent many afternoons as a teenager exploring cemeteries where people who were born in the 1500's are buried. Nothing like seeing an old oak tree with a six foot girth and a 300 year old gravestone sticking out of the side. Someday I'm going to write a coffee table book with large glossy pictures of old New England graveyards. Sure to be a best seller.