[Health] The Infectious Diseases Thread

[Isgrimnur]

WAsh your PrOduce

Food-borne illness is so often thought of as a scourge of meat and seafood, but if you look at some of the most recent outbreaks, many of them — romaine lettuce, cucumbers, melons — have been tied to produce. So let’s be smart about this.

First, it’s best to wash produce right before you use it, because dampness encourages bacteria growth and therefore spoilage, food research scientist Amanda Deering of Purdue University told The Washington Post. The Food and Drug Administration recommends washing produce under cold running water — go ahead and wash your hands before and after you do the food, too. (If your bag of salad or other greens says it’s pre-washed, no further work is needed.) Scrub with a brush and/or gently rub the produce with your hands, depending on what you’re cleaning. Water is sufficient, so don’t use soap or bleach or even commercially made produce washes. In fact, the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Maine tested three commercial wash treatments and found that distilled water was just as effective or more effective at removing microbes and pesticides (you can use clean cold tap water instead of distilled).

Drying with a clean paper towel or dish towel can remove even more bacteria. And, yes, even if you don’t plan to eat the exterior of the fruit or vegetable, you should still clean the outside to avoid transferring contaminants from the surface to the inside.

[Isgrimnur]

Tick or Poppy Seed

[em2nought]

WAsh your PrOduce

I even put my bananas in one of those dispensable baggies so they don't touch where the poopy diapered kid sat during the shopping cart's prior use.

[Isgrimnur]

Nothing crazy, just some Legionnaires in NJ:

Ohio

A patient died Sunday after an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at the new Mount Carmel Grove City hospital.
...
Seven patients have been diagnosed with the disease. The patient in the first case stayed at the new $361 million hospital from April 29 through May 7, and five other patients who contracted the disease stayed sometime between May 8 and May 20. The seventh case was identified late Friday.
...
Legionnaires’ disease kills about 10% of those diagnosed in the general population, but that rate can rise to 1 in 4 people when the outbreak is at a nursing home or hospital.

[Paingod]

Tick or Poppy Seed

That'd be a real problem if I was prone to rolling around in poppy seeds after I was in the woods for an hour.

We religiously check for ticks after every outing. This weekend we discovered maybe a dozen or more - from poppy seeds to full adults - between the four of us and my dog. No one was in the woods. We were doing yard work and playing on the lawn. The majority of them were standard dog ticks, with only a couple deer ticks. Even with bug spray on us and the dog, the ticks were trying to find lunch. This is going to be a bad year for ticks in Maine.

[em2nought]

Tick or Poppy Seed

That'd be a real problem if I was prone to rolling around in poppy seeds after I was in the woods for an hour.

We religiously check for ticks after every outing. This weekend we discovered maybe a dozen or more - from poppy seeds to full adults - between the four of us and my dog. No one was in the woods. We were doing yard work and playing on the lawn. The majority of them were standard dog ticks, with only a couple deer ticks. Even with bug spray on us and the dog, the ticks were trying to find lunch. This is going to be a bad year for ticks in Maine.

Maybe you need some Guinea Fowl https://www.communitychickens.com/guine ... -on-ticks/

[Paingod]

Maybe you need some Guinea Fowl https://www.communitychickens.com/guine ... -on-ticks/

We once tried having chickens as pets with this idea in mind (along with "free" eggs!) - but it didn't take long for one of my wife's Huskies to break out of its enclosure and turn the chickens into squeak toys while we were gone one day. When one stopped squeaking, it found another. Repeat until 90% of the chickens were slaughtered. We found two survivors, and only one without grievous injury. We have since decided chickens and Huskies don't mix very well and haven't replaced them.

[Isgrimnur]

"Momma, my toys broke!"

[hitbyambulance]

This is going to be a bad year for ticks in Maine.

and everywhere else in the US this year. and worse next year. and worse the year after that. and...

[Smoove_B]

Yup.

In 2017, state and local health departments reported a record number of cases of tickborne diseases to CDC. The reported numbers of cases of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis/ehrlichiosis, spotted fever rickettsiosis (including Rocky Mountain spotted fever), babesiosis, tularemia, and Powassan virus disease all increased—from a total of 48,610 reported cases in 2016 to a total of 59,349 reported cases in 2017. Reported cases capture only a fraction of the overall number of people with tickborne illnesses. Even so, the number of reported cases of Lyme disease in the United States has tripled since the late 1990s.

Though I'll tell you what, if I have to listen to another person tell me they have "chronic Lyme", I'm going to lose it. I'm not saying people aren't still sick, but they don't have "chronic Lyme" and their push for non-stop antibiotics is dangerous as hell.

/rant off

[stessier]

Yup.

In 2017, state and local health departments reported a record number of cases of tickborne diseases to CDC. The reported numbers of cases of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis/ehrlichiosis, spotted fever rickettsiosis (including Rocky Mountain spotted fever), babesiosis, tularemia, and Powassan virus disease all increased—from a total of 48,610 reported cases in 2016 to a total of 59,349 reported cases in 2017. Reported cases capture only a fraction of the overall number of people with tickborne illnesses. Even so, the number of reported cases of Lyme disease in the United States has tripled since the late 1990s.

Though I'll tell you what, if I have to listen to another person tell me they have "chronic Lyme", I'm going to lose it. I'm not saying people aren't still sick, but they don't have "chronic Lyme" and their push for non-stop antibiotics is dangerous as hell.

/rant off

I know that one! Thank you West Wing!

[LordMortis]

This is going to be a bad year for ticks in Maine.

and everywhere else in the US this year. and worse next year. and worse the year after that. and...

That's the way it's seemed for a good three years running. Mice problems are getting worse as well.

My parents have noticed a huge increase ticks since the last of their chickens died. I think they're stuck. They would like chickens again but they are also starting to travel now that they they have pretty much only have a dog that will travel to take care of.

[Smoove_B]

I know that one! Thank you West Wing!

I've never watched the show, but it's also known as rabbit fever. Depending on where you're from, it's one of those diseases that is more common in hunters. However, there is some concern it could be weaponized, though I'm not aware of any published studies demonstrating it's a viable agent. As I recall, it's rather fragile in the open environment and doesn't persist long enough to be a viable aeresolized bio-weapon.

I guess we're going to find out if I'm being monitored by the feds. If they show up, I'll let everyone know.

[Isgrimnur]

Fiji

A Texas couple vacationing in Fiji died from an unknown illness, a U.S. Department of State spokesperson said Monday.

Michelle and David Paul, from Fort Worth, arrived in Fiji around May 22 after dropping off their 2-year-old son, Ayden, with Michelle's parents, her father, Marc Calanog, told NBC News.

Some time after they arrived, Michelle Paul called her father to tell him she and her husband were experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, and their hands were numb. They went to a clinic and then to a hospital, where they were treated and then released. Calanog said David Paul was given IV bags to treat his symptoms, but Michelle Paul was not.

Then, Calanog learned that his son-in-law was in critical condition and was supposed to be transferred to a hospital in Australia, "but he never made it."

On May 25, the day before the couple was supposed to leave Fiji to return home, Michelle Paul's family received a call that she had died, her sister-in-law, Tracey Calanog, told NBC News.

Michelle and David Paul died within days of each other despite medical care, Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services said in a statement, according to The Associated Press. The ministry said public health measures were put in place but did not specify what those were.

[Jeff V]

Is there any indication they died of an infectious disease though? They could have been licking toxic wildlife or something, I don't think anyone knows at this point.

[gilraen]

Is there any indication they died of an infectious disease though? They could have been licking toxic wildlife or something, I don't think anyone knows at this point.

Fiji had a meningococcal C outbreak last year which they considered contained, but the extremely fast progression of symptoms described in the article is very consistent with severe forms of meningitis.

[Jeff V]

Is there any indication they died of an infectious disease though? They could have been licking toxic wildlife or something, I don't think anyone knows at this point.

Fiji had a meningococcal C outbreak last year which they considered contained, but the extremely fast progression of symptoms described in the article is very consistent with severe forms of meningitis.

Aren't we vaccinated against that? And if Fiji had a recent outbreak, shouldn't it have raised alarms resulting in targeted treatment (admittedly, I don't know the effectiveness of treatment and whether a double death is a likely outcome).

[Freyland]

And I keep coming back to international poisoning antics. Neither of them appear to hold positions that would merit it, though.

[Jeff V]

And I keep coming back to international poisoning antics. Neither of them appear to hold positions that would merit it, though.

They could have run afoul of the notorious Fijian mafia. People never take their demands to hand over their flip-flops seriously until things go too far.

[Smoove_B]

Vomiting, diarrhea and numb hands suggests to me some type of fish or shellfish poisoning. Death is unusual, so it would have had to be a hell of a dose.

[Jeff V]

Vomiting, diarrhea and numb hands suggests to me some type of fish or shellfish poisoning. Death is unusual, so it would have had to be a hell of a dose.

What about something containing red tide toxins?

[Smoove_B]

Yes, that would cause NSP (neurotoxic shellfish poisoning). Its not my favorite shellfish neurotoxin, but that would do it.

[LawBeefaroni]

Yes, that would cause NSP (neurotoxic shellfish poisoning). Its not my favorite shellfish neurotoxin, but that would do it.

But is NSP contagious?

Five people who came in contact with Michelle and David Paul in Fiji have been admitted to Nadi Hospital in Nadi, Fiji, for observation, the Fiji Sun newspaper reported on Tuesday. Those under medical observation are two security guards, two medical staffers and a police officer who have shown similar symptoms that the American couple experienced, the Sun reported.

Also, it says that numb hands could be a symptom of dehydration. Vomiting and diarrhea cause that.

[Smoove_B]

No, it wouldn't be contagious. Definitely one to watch. Numb hands is rather unique and if they're holding others with similar symptoms that's...interesting. I haven't heard anything from my sources, but I'll keep watching.

EDIT: WHO and CDC are testing samples. I'd expect we'll find out real soon.

[Smoove_B]

Ugh. 5+ LAPD officers diagnosed with Typhoid.

The division polices downtown L.A., including Skid Row, where hundreds of homeless people camp on the streets.

The LAPD says the division is being disinfected, and officials are reviewing the state's report that found health violations at the station.

Not normal.

[$iljanus]

Ugh. 5+ LAPD officers diagnosed with Typhoid.

The division polices downtown L.A., including Skid Row, where hundreds of homeless people camp on the streets.

The LAPD says the division is being disinfected, and officials are reviewing the state's report that found health violations at the station.

Not normal.

Waiting for Canadians to call for a ban on Americans traveling to their country so we won't be spreading our filthy third world shithole diseases to their country.

[coopasonic]

I though Canada also had an anti-vax problem?

[$iljanus]

I though Canada also had an anti-vax problem?

But I don't think they have a typhoid problem which I associate with poor sanitation, lack of sewers and clean water, and disaster zones.

[Isgrimnur]

Pakistan

Health authorities here are scrambling to control an HIV outbreak in the country’s south after the virus was diagnosed in about 700 people, most of them children, in recent weeks.

The outbreak, which health officials think can be traced in part to unsterile syringes being reused on children in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, has spread anxiety throughout a country already confronting distrust in its health system and skepticism of its immunization programs.
...
Then officials traced a number of the families’ steps back to a single doctor. Authorities arrested him in late April, accusing him of infecting dozens of patients with the virus through dirty syringes. Police later dropped an inquiry into whether he had done so intentionally, but he remains behind bars as the investigation continues.

The doctor’s lawyer told CNN that his client was not using infected syringes, and “has been made into a scapegoat for the larger crisis in the region.”
...
Since the outbreak began, officials have shut down clinics they deemed unsafe, as experts warned that the problem probably goes far beyond one doctor because syringes are commonly reused across the region.

[Smoove_B]

This is...concerning:

“This is the biggest animal disease outbreak we’ve ever had on the planet,” said Dirk Pfeiffer, a veterinary epidemiologist at City University of Hong Kong and expert on African swine fever. “It makes the foot and mouth disease and BSE outbreaks pale in comparison to the damage that is being done. And we have no way to stop it from spreading.”

[em2nought]

This is...concerning

I'm going to be really unhappy if I can't eat Larb Moo the next time I visit Thailand.

[Smoove_B]

We have two more cases of a rare tickborne disease confirmed in NJ, and we're waiting to see if the death of one of the confirmed cases is related:

Powassan virus affects the central nervous system and can cause swelling of the brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Powassan virus can be transmitted to humans by black-legged ticks, also called deer ticks. The virus is fatal for about 10% of people who contract it. About half of survivors are left with permanent neurological problems, including recurrent headaches and memory loss.

There are no vaccines or medications to treat the virus, which was first identified in Powassan, Ontario, in 1958.

This is only the 10th case since 2013 and potentially the second death since 2013. It's definitely like hitting the unlucky lottery as the number of ticks carrying Powassan is significantly smaller than those that carry Lyme. What makes Powassan extra scary is that unlike Lyme which takes 20+ hours to transmit, Powassan can be transmitted almost instantly. if you're aware of ticks and risk and doing a tick check on yourself (or others), finding one within the Lyme transmission window can be easy. But for Powassan? Trouble.

Happy Monday!

[Isgrimnur]

But flaviviruses sound so tasty. And how did we let those Canadian ticks across the border?

[Smoove_B]

But flaviviruses sound so tasty.

For the biology nerds, Flavi means "Yellow" in Latin, and the first identified flavivirus was for Yellow Fever. Eventually we discovered that flaviruses also cause West Nile and Ebola (Yellow Fever is technically a hemorrhagic fever virus), and now we're seeing them in ticks. Nature finds a way!

And how did we let those Canadian ticks across the border?

That's half the fun - trying to figure out how it got here. It's also why we need to keep funding science - that's what I'm talking aboot!

[Jeff V]

But flaviviruses sound so tasty.

For the biology nerds, Flavi means "Yellow" in Latin, and the first identified flavivirus was for Yellow Fever. Eventually we discovered that flaviruses also cause West Nile and Ebola (Yellow Fever is technically a hemorrhagic fever virus), and now we're seeing them in ticks. Nature finds a way!

And how did we let those Canadian ticks across the border?

That's half the fun - trying to figure out how it got here. It's also why we need to keep funding science - that's what I'm talking aboot!

Or maybe fund a wall...

[Smoove_B]

Measles continues to spread, outbreak is getting worse:

The United States’ worst measles outbreak in a quarter-century spread to Idaho and Virginia last week as public health authorities on Monday reported 41 new cases of the highly contagious and sometimes deadly disease.

The U.S. has recorded 1,022 cases of the diseases this year as of June 6, in an outbreak blamed on misinformation about vaccines, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The 2019 outbreak, which has reached 28 states, is the worst since 1992, when 2,126 cases were recorded.

Of additional concern:

CDC officials have warned that the country risks losing its measles elimination status if the ongoing outbreak, which began in October 2018 in New York, continues until October 2019.

[gilraen]

Of additional concern:

CDC officials have warned that the country risks losing its measles elimination status if the ongoing outbreak, which began in October 2018 in New York, continues until October 2019.

I'm fairly certain that's a guarantee at this point.

[Smoove_B]

I'm fairly certain that's a guarantee at this point.

I think so, yes. Why should we care?

Venezuela and Brazil are the only other countries in the Americas where measles is considered endemic, or constantly circulating — the implications could be profound, experts say.

While there would be no international penalties involved, the rollback of measles elimination status would mean more than just the crossing of a psychological divide. It would be a harbinger, experts say, that the U.S. could face far larger outbreaks in the future — epidemics that could strain the capacity of health departments that already struggle to extinguish each and every chain of measles transmission that occurs in the country.

[Isgrimnur]

Science News

Rabies deaths linked to dog bites and scratches have dropped, and those from wild animals now carry a greater share of the blame. Bats cause roughly 70 percent of deaths in Americans infected with rabies, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says in a report released June 12.

In 2015, the CDC noticed that bats were surpassing raccoons in animals testing positive for rabies. The agency also noticed an uptick in the number of mass bat exposures, when 10 or more people are exposed to a possibly rabid bat. This happens most often where bats are found living in homes, dorms or campgrounds.

Overseas contact with rabid dogs is second in causing rabies deaths in Americans. People often think infected dogs act aggressively, lunging and barking and trying to attack people. But infected dogs can also be timid and still bite people, says Emily Pieracci, a veterinary epidemiologist at the CDC in Atlanta. “You can’t tell whether an animal has rabies just by looking at it.”

People should try to stay away from bats, Pieracci says. A bat that doesn’t flee from humans may be rabid. “A normal, healthy bat will not allow you touch it,” she says.

[Smoove_B]

Hmnmm....I guess that's a monster report, but at least here in the NE that's been our message for at least the last 15+ years. Our last case of wild canine rabies was in the 1950s and then it disappeared for a while. Eventually it came back to the state via raccoons and now we believe bats are the primary carrier. I've lost track of the number of phone calls I've had over bats in the house - probably over a hundred during my relatively short time. We have a rabies manual that's about as thick as a telephone book (ask your parents) on how to deal with any type of permutation of human/animal or animal/animal interaction (with respect to rabies, you pervs). One of the towns I was working in even had a rabid cow - worst Steven King movie ever. Anyway, I hadn't seen this monster report, so thanks for the signal boost.