Rare virus poses new threat to troops

[sabra]

Source: Wash Times

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan | U.S. military officials sent a medical team to a remote outpost in southern Afghanistan this week to take blood samples from members of an Army unit after a soldier in the unit died from an Ebola-like virus.

Dr. Jim Radike, an expert in internal medicine and infectious diseases at the Role 3 Trauma Hospital at Kandahar Air Field, told The Washington Times that Sgt. Robert David Gordon, 22, from River Falls, Ala., died Sept. 16 from what turned out to be Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever after he was bitten by a tick. The virus is transmitted by infected blood and can be carried by ticks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dr. Radike, who is with the Navy, said the medical team "will be taking blood samples and the results may take several weeks to get back." He called it "a precautionary measure."

Dr. Radike did not say how many individuals would be tested or why the military had waited until now to act. The unit involved is the 5th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry division, A-Company 2-1 Infantry.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/06/rare-virus-poses-new-threat-to-troops/

[CatholicEdHead]

1. Why is the Washington Times the only source of this?

Why the Moonie Times and not more mainstream sources?

[timeforpeace]

6. Excellent point. They're stirring up Crimean-Congo carrying tickophobia.

[SpiralHawk]

8. The Rev. Moon-Republicon Times has its own occult agenda against America

So I am always suspicious of what Second-Coming-of-Christ Moon & his Republicon Homelander Devotees have to, um, say...about anything, including tortillas.

[whoneedstickets]

2. All we need is a few carriers to come home and play in the woods...

..and it could be endemic here too!

[kestrel91316]

4. As an acute hemorrhagic fever, no chronic asymptomatic carrier

state exists in humans with this virus.

[lapfog_1]

5. Like most hemorrhagic fevers

the symptoms present themselves relatively rapidly (headache, high fever, back pain, joint pain, stomach pain, and vomiting, Red eyes, a flushed face, a red throat, and petechiae on the palate are common).

Since it's a blood borne virus, once a person has been hospitalized, standard precautions should prevent the spread.

It's unlikely that someone would contract this virus in Afghanistan, carry it back to the US, and then feel good enough to go for a hike where another tick bite would create a local carrier.

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is found in Eastern Europe, particularly in the former Soviet Union. It is also distributed throughout the Mediterranean, in northwestern China, central Asia, southern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent.

source: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/Spb/mnpages/dispages/cchf.htm

[mattvermont]

9. the way I understand it

is that most of these ebola type viruses are so virulent that they can be quarantined
before they get too far.

[kestrel91316]

3. Everything you ever wanted to know about Crimean-Congo:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/Spb/mnpages/dispages/cchf.htm

[Soylent Brice]

7. K&R

[mattvermont]

10. On further thought

such a virus could be a great biological weapon in war
Gee, I wonder if they ever thought of that (sarcasm)

Not a bad anti-war weapon as well. (serious)