Slashdot Mirror
Vintage Diseases Making a Comeback
An anonymous reader writes "MSNBC has a piece on a recent resurgence in some old-timey diseases. Mumps, Whooping Cough, and Rickets are making a comeback, back in style like it's 1955." From the article: "Public-health officials certainly weren't expecting to get 'bitten' by mumps this year. Although the virus has been circulating in British kids since 2000, it hadn't caused much trouble in the United States since an outbreak in Kansas 18 years ago. The Midwest is the epicenter again, but the victims are primarily college students, not children. Once a childhood disease, the virus has now taken hold in university towns. That's partly because crowded dorms and cafeterias are breeding grounds for germs that are spread by sneezing and coughing."
If there's one thing that make me want to kick people in the teeth, it's seeing them cough wetly with their mouths gaping open in public places.
Bonus: In the teeth with steel-toed boots if, after you tell them nicely to put their hands in front of their mouth, they claim they are "not contagious anymore".
I think the japs have it right: Face mask for the sick.
You can't take the sky from me...
Something particularly funny in the UK is that in an area with a low number of vaccinations due to stupid parents, there was an outbreak recently and quite a few number of children died. 90% of them weren't vaccinated because of their stupid parents. I find it funny that science wins again.
I think it's because of all the illegals from mexico that haven't been vaccinated for these diseases. They then spread it to us.
I thought it was humans that were the disease of the planet...
"Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."
Not just science, but evolution itself. Stupid parents tend to breed stupid children, and now there are fewer to reproduce. A pity, to be sure, but what can you do? Stupidity is its own punishment.
-ccm
Too much Law; not enough Order.
You don't have a clue what you are talking about. The trypanosome (a protozoan) can definitely spread in blood transfusions. There are three pages of papers about this topic on PubMed. Transfusion-associated Chagas' disease has been recognized for decades.
Seems to me that a little xenophobia and fearmongering on this particular issue is not only justifiable, but praiseworthy. Thumb-sucking multi-culti wish-mongering won't make the problem go away.
I will graciously accept your apology whenever you think you're ready to handle the truth.
-ccm
Too much Law; not enough Order.