POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: tednlou2 on August 23, 2012, 12:08:21 am
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Just about every night on the news over the past few weeks, I've seen stories about a larger outbreak of West Nile Virus than seen previously. Tonight I heard at least 21 people have died in Texas. It did make me think with global climate change and seeing more cases of this and other tropical diseases like dengue fever here in the U.S., what effect this would have on people with HIV/AIDS. Would we be more likely to get very ill with more severe cases, or would we not be any different than the population at large?
I didn't think much more about it. The large cases and deaths seemed to come from the deep south. I did think about our members who live in those places, but felt KY was probably not in the affected areas. Tonight, we learned my best friend's father is in a hospital in Chicago with West Nile. He lives in northern Indiana. He obviously caught the virus there, as he has not traveled. He felt very crappy with fever. After urinating on himself (read it can affect kidneys), he went to the hospital. They transferred him to a hospital in Chicago for better treatment. He is about 60 years-old. They are doing a brain scan to check for swelling.
Anyway, one of the things I felt was interesting was that we googled the virus and searched the always reliable Wikipedia. It specifically mentioned the CCR5 gene.
"A mutation of the gene CCR5 gives some protection against HIV but leads to more serious complications of WNV infection. Carriers of two mutated copies of CCR5 made up 4.0 to 4.5% of a sample of West Nile disease sufferers, while the incidence of the gene in the general population is only 1.0%."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Nile_virus
The NIH says HIV is a risk factor for developing a more severe case. They go on to list several symptoms. I was thinking many with HIV would dismiss many of these symptoms as HIV related.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004457/
"2012 West Nile virus update: as of August 21
Thus far in 2012, 47 states have reported West Nile virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes. A total of 1118 cases of West Nile virus disease in people, including 41 deaths, have been reported to CDC. Of these, 629 (56%) were classified as neuroinvasive disease (such as meningitis or encephalitis) and 489 (44%) were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease.
The 1118 cases reported thus far in 2012 is the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases reported to CDC through the third week in August since West Nile virus was first detected in the United States in 1999. Approximately 75 percent of the cases have been reported from 5 states (Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Oklahoma) and almost half of all cases have been reported from Texas."
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
Just thought it was worth a post. I am NOT sitting here biting my nails over it. It really wasn't anything I gave much thought to, until learning tonight a close family friend is very ill with it. My best friend is waiting to hear more news and whether he needs to book a flight to Chicago. I was reading on the gov't website that mosquitoes carry the highest amount of virus in early Fall. They say this is why we see more disease in late August and early September.
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mosquitoes should disclose before biting us.
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mosquitoes should disclose before biting us.
Maybe they're saying "DDF, UB2" when they're buzzing around your ears at night.
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Maybe they're saying "DDF, UB2" when they're buzzing around your ears at night.
If only that would work---it would be great!! I am one of the unfortunates whose skin type is extremely popular with mosquitoes. Glad TNL posted this as I have gardening to do and I'm reminded to use repellent.
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I live in Houston. I spray myself with 40 deet repellent before going outside at night ( if I must) and have emptied the fountains on the patio (breeding area).
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I hated going up to the northeast of New York State last summer, to see Bob's folks,
up near Syracuse & Watertown NY...
those dam mosquitoes loved me, they bit the hell outta me :-[
my AIDS-infected blood must taste real good to them We don't have many mosquitoes here in the desert of New Mexico.....
Hugs
DEN
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Maybe they're saying "DDF, UB2" when they're buzzing around your ears at night.
That must have been what the mosquito in my bedroom was doing last night, as I was trying to fall asleep. So freaking annoying!
It did bite me. Do I need to post in the Am I Infected forum, before the tolls go up? :P
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One again, Ted, Thanks for keeping us up to date on the latest risks we must be aware of. Living in Atlanta everything seems to descend upon us. We are having an increase of WNV. Fortunately having the CDC here helps to keep us up to date.
Recently I read an article from the CDC of a new concern called the USA 300. It's a mutated version of MRSA but an added part of the Flesh Eating virus that attacks the lungs, basically eating the lungs once affected. Most cases are reported in SF, Boston and Texas I think. NIH are monitoring it closely as the cases rise.
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Vitamin B-6 tends to help keep mosquito's away. While you're at it, just take the entire B-Complex. The B-6 makes you smell bad to the bug. Cheers.
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My county that I live in (Dallas County, TX) has a significant outbreak of West Nile and its been kinda scary around here...3 cases within proximity of my house...They did the aerial spraying a few nights this week so hopefully that helps..I've been using Deep Woods OFF quite a bit
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Recently I read an article from the CDC of a new concern called the USA 300. It's a mutated version of MRSA but an added part of the Flesh Eating virus that attacks the lungs, basically eating the lungs once affected. Most cases are reported in SF, Boston and Texas I think. NIH are monitoring it closely as the cases rise.
This past week, the Today Show did a story about an outbreak of a drug resistant strain of klebsiella pneumoniae that occurred at an NIH research hospital. They said a woman who was "immune compromised" (not sure if that means HIV, cancer, or what) first presented with it. Over the next few months, it began spreading to other patients. One report said they believe they traced it to a contaminated lung machine. They say 6 deaths occurred. They recommended making sure every nurse and doctor washes their hands, and to not stay in the hospital any longer than necessary. Although, I don't think people stay longer than necessary. And, how do you make sure something like a lung machine or other equipment is not contaminated?
http://www.myspace.com/video/nbc-today-show/deadly-drug-resistant-bacteria-sweeps-nih-hospital/108948200
Edited for spelling
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I live in SC and we had a reported case of West Nile Virus in Aiken which is just one county over. Needless to say it's a bit unsettling to know that it has migrated to so many locations in such a short time. I have no doubt that the unusually mild winter we experienced has had a marginal effect on the mosquito population.
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I live in SC and we had a reported case of West Nile Virus in Aiken which is just one county over
there have been 5 cases in NC, with 2 cases (in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties) very nearby to here (York county, SC); and there are sooo many skeeters here in the woods outside Tega Cay/Lake Wylie/Catawba River. Yikes. :o
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There have been 9 cases in Pennsylvania. Do I win anything?
There was also a tornado last night five miles away, and on Monday night a man was run over by a black SUV a block away and it was all caught on video (http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/19446499/fox-29-exclusive-hit-and-run-caught-on-video?clienttype=printable).
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Do I win anything?
not unless you're bit by the wrong mosquito ::) ;D LOL
do you even have many mosquitoes there in the city? luckily the upcoming cold winter weather should help the situation up there. One of the bits of culture shock I got living up in Cleveland/Canton was how winter killed off so many bugs; unlike down South where hardly any "winter weather" the last few years has made spiders, fleas, flies, and mosquitoes almost year round nuisances.
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There have been 9 cases in Pennsylvania. Do I win anything?
There was also a tornado last night five miles away, and on Monday night a man was run over by a black SUV a block away and it was all caught on video (http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/19446499/fox-29-exclusive-hit-and-run-caught-on-video?clienttype=printable).
Touche, Miss Philicia! You win an exclusive all day pass to Bubba's Spa and Boil and Wart Shack. Bring a friend!
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Touche, Miss Philicia! You win an exclusive all day pass to Bubba's Spa and Boil and Wart Shack. Bring a friend!
Well, gollygee -- I do hope that's a Grade 3 external hemorrhoid with an extra helping of anal warts down my shit chute (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAEvby1Lauo).
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Ohhhhhhhh there goes my breakfast! That is NSFW or anywhere, really.
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And, then there's the hantavirus that has affected campers. Yes, this could just be a coincidence and we just hear more of these stories with so much cable news, but I do wonder whether we're going to start seeing more of these type cases, due to climate change causing mild winters and viruses not dying off.
Of course, climate change could very well cause harsh winters. But, we're already seeing people with the flu at higher rates than usual for this time. My partner is a teacher and says so many students have been out sick already with the flu. A few students have scarlet fever. I know, this is all anecdotal. But, it does make me wonder how much climate change is to blame. We had a very mild winter. Actually, it never really felt much like winter.
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I woke up today thinking my last post was probably trying to connect too many dots at once. But, then I read this today. :o
http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/06/13697324-fortunate-to-be-alive-girl-7-contracts-bubonic-plague-at-colorado-campground?lite
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Teddy, do you watch RHoNY? You remind me of gay male version of Aviva.
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Teddy, do you watch RHoNY? You remind me of gay male version of Aviva.
I thought you would fact check me as to whether cases are out of the norm. I looked up the plague stats. Although there has been an uptick since around 1980, this could be due to better reporting. And, cases have actually gone down in the last few years. I suppose everything can't be blamed on climate change.
http://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/index.html
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Remember this Ted ... the male mosquito buzzes to attract a mate and doesent bite , the female is silent and does bite spreading disease while having a blood meal ... so when its quite and you don't hear a thing , that's when your probably getting bit to death and at the most risk .
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All of these disease-spreading insects makes me seriously reconsider indulging in bee venom facial masks that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall highly recommends as a natural substitute for botox.
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There have been 9 cases in Pennsylvania. Do I win anything?
LOL. You lightweights. ::)
Texas has HALF of all the confirmed cases in the US. San Antonio ALONE has had 11 infections and 2 deaths. As I type this there are trucks going throughout the city spraying a light fog to try to kill the skeeters.
I WIN.
PS- San Antonio to open the fastest highway in the US...http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/06/texas-to-open-fastest-us-highway-with-85-mph-limit/?test=latestnews
I double win.
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sept 3, 2012
First rabies death in 35 years
For the first time since 1977 in Switzerland, one case of rabies is fatal. The person concerned had been transferred for treatment in Dubai, Switzerland were, on arrival but already in a coma.
A U.S. citizen who had been infected with rabies abroad, died of illness on 31 July in a Swiss hospital, as Daniel Dauwalder, spokesman for the Federal Office of Public Health, a message of "NZZ am Sonntag" confirmed.
"NZZ am Sonntag" reported that the man had probably been bitten in the U.S. from a Mexican bulldog bat. According to the report, he fell ill later in Iraq and then was transferred to a hospital in Dubai.
http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=466815
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LOL. You lightweights. ::)
Texas has HALF of all the confirmed cases in the US. San Antonio ALONE has had 11 infections and 2 deaths. As I type this there are trucks going throughout the city spraying a light fog to try to kill the skeeters.
I WIN.
PS- San Antonio to open the fastest highway in the US...http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/09/06/texas-to-open-fastest-us-highway-with-85-mph-limit/?test=latestnews
I double win.
Texas always sucks.
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EEEKS - West Nile Virus is in Florida too!!!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48888864/ns/local_news-fort_myers_fl/t/cases-west-nile-virus-growing-florida/
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EEEKS - West Nile Virus is in Florida too!!!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48888864/ns/local_news-fort_myers_fl/t/cases-west-nile-virus-growing-florida/
So, I guess the Nile ain't just a river in Egypt.
Ba boom tisssh!
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Now Texas has the Hantavirus. Actually it's not unusual to have a Hanta case or two down in South Texas where they have dirt floors but this one was in Houston...
http://www.click2houston.com/news/Home-in-The-Woodlands-quarantined-for-Hantavirus/-/1735978/16529360/-/4mgvjx/-/index.html
Hanta is a nasty little disease, and it will KILL your ass, and not in a nice way.
-W
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This disease has reached the easternmost part of Croatia, there are 4 infected people so far.
We didn't get any rain during the summer (which was dry and extremely hot 39C/101F), so I don't where these mosquitoes come from...
The climate is changing...so we can expect more things like this...
Oh well, I won't be traveling to the eastern part of the country...
(Nor I will be traveling to the southern part of the country which is infested with Leishmania-carying sandflies and this can be terrible for people with HIV).
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Latest West Nile Death in my area was just 2 miles from my house last week..Too close for comfort