Vibrio Pathogens In New Orleans

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I think you might find this of interest! http://rense.com/general67/patho.htm

Same Pathogen In N.O. BioLab Shows Up In Evacuees

Vibrio Pathogens In New Orleans

Patricia Doyle, PhD

dr_p_doyle

9-17-5

 

 

Hello Jeff - I notice in the second part of this email the author describes

using cultures of vibrio cholera obtained from the N.O. Public Health Lab.

 

It is therefore noted that cultrues of V. Cholera strains were, indeed, kept at

the N.O. Public Health Lab...the one that was cracked open with bolt cutters.

Then again, I am sure a little chlorox did the trick. Sure. Interesting that the

same strain as the culture seems to be infecting some of the evacuees in

Tennessee and around the country.

 

I also note a Hep A vaccine shortage. They recommend getting the HAV vaccine,

and, all of a suddent, there is a shortage. One way to keep the price up and

ensure that ONLY those who can pay get the vaccine.

 

I just heard a talk show host on WABC NY confirm that Mayor Nagin went to Dallas

and purchased a new home for his family. He moved his family to Dallas and

claims that he will live in New Orleans during the work week but the family will

remain in Dallas where the children will go to school.

 

Now what does that tell you about the safety of New Orleans? What does he KNOW

that the public doesn't?

 

Patty

 

From ProMed Mail

 

From Jim Diaz

diazjh

9-17-5

 

_Vibrio cholerae_ is not endemic in Louisiana, but more pathogenic non-cholera

Vibrios are, and they have already killed and will continue to do so. I have

been [back] to New Orleans, and there are no mosquitoes now; all larvae were

killed by floating petrochemicals.

 

The ARBOR diseases will return soon, principally West Nile virus -- worse than

in Mississippi -- and spraying will be required later when the floodwaters

recede.

 

Current mild diarrheal diseases are viral and secondary to poor sanitation and

endemic RNA enteric viruses. More serious dysenteric disease outbreaks could

follow among those who are not evacuating flooded areas and who are consuming

contaminated food and water. Dysenteric diseases should not be a problem in

well-run shelters. Baton Rouge will probably have a hepatitis A outbreak in 4-6

weeks so get vaccinated for HAV now, because there are inadequate stocks of IgG

and HAV vaccine to respond to an outbreak.

 

As we enter flu season, viral URIs will become a problem among the elderly in

shelters and may result in community acquired pneumonias.

 

Since many TB+ homeless persons and ex-prisoners may have been sheltered with

the elderly, infants, and the immunosuppressed, MDR-TB could be transmitted to

these susceptible populations. Reactivation of non-MDR TB in the elderly is

usually more of a problem, especially among older immigrants from countries

where TB is endemic (Viet Nam, Mexico, etc.) and primary infections were

acquired during childhood. The elderly often baby sit the infants, who are

highly susceptible to TB. TB should not be as much of a problem as viral URIs

and secondary pneumonias.

 

[He added:] I have never seen a case of cholera in 30 years of practice, but

plenty of non-cholera _Vibrio_ infections; many were fatal, especially in

immunosuppressed transplant patients. _V. vulnificus_ septicemia is especially

problematic, because it can be transmitted through lacerations, ingestion, and,

probably, transconjunctivally.

 

Jim Diaz, MD, PhD

Professor of Public Health

Department of Environmental & Occupational Health

LSU Health Sciences Center

New Orleans

 

I hate to disagree with Jim, as we have known each other for many years, but in

the past, there have been outbreaks in southern Louisiana of _V. cholerae_ " El

Tor " of a specific phage type common from Apalachicola Bay to Galveston Bay, and

usually south of Interstate highway 10 (I-10). We used it in a trial involving

frog legs: see Sang, F.C.; Hugh-Jones, M.E.; Hagstad, H.V. 1987. A Research

Note: Viability of Vibrio cholerae 01 on Frog Legs under Frozen and Refrigerated

Conditions and Low Dose Radiation Treatment. Journal of Food Protection,

50:662-664. We obtained the culture from the NO PH Laboratory which had

recovered it from some prior outbreak. It was never very virulent in the various

outbreaks, and its recovery depended more on clinician awareness than anything

else. I haven't seen it reported for some time now. Those outbreaks followed a

lack of rain and thus presumably salt-water intrusion into the oyster bays and

blue crab trapping areas. It was largely south of the I-10,

presumably because of the Cajun propensity to under cook their crabs. _V.

cholerae_ non-01 strains are still recovered occasionally. But, in reality, Jim

is absolutely correct about the present status of cholera in Louisiana.

 

His advice about getting vaccinated for hepatitis A is valid, but the vaccine

appears to be unavailable in Baton Rouge. Our shared grad student was unable to

get any for her daughter this morning. - Mod. MHJ

 

 

Patricia A. Doyle, PhD

Please visit my " Emerging Diseases " message board at:

 

http://www.clickitnews.com/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat= & Board=emergingdiseases

 

Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa

Go with God and in Good Health

 

 

" When the power of love becomes stronger than the love of power, we will have

peace. "

Jimi Hendrix