Warning Of A New Air-borne Infection Following First Death

[sbk]

Warning of a new air-borne infection following first death

BANGKOK, March 17 (TNA) – A 37-year-old woman from Southern Thailand has been confirmed dead due to a virulent new infectious disease caused and carried by rodents, prompting the Disease Control Department to issue a warning on Monday.

Thailand's Disease Control Department director-general Dr. Thawat Suntrajarn issued the warning of a new communicable disease called 'Tularemia', after the middle-aged woman from the southern province of Prachuap Kiri Khan province died of the disease.

The victim reportedly caught the air-borne disease from her rabbits. She was reportedly undergoing chemotherapy to treat a cancer. As a result, she had a low level of immunity and was highly vulnerable to infection, according to Dr. Thawat.

Dr. Thawat added that Tularemia, otherwise known as 'rabbit fever', is one of 33 new diseases in Thailand and is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacterium 'Fracisella tularensis'. Moreover, it is a germ also used to produce biological weapons.

The disease's primary carriers, or vectors, are flies and pests such as fleas. Air-borne as it is, Tularemia can also be passed on to human by respiration, direct contact with rodent secretions, and consuming infected rodent meat.

Symptoms of infection include high fever, chill, head- and stomachache, vomiting, urinating difficulty, chest pain, shock and eventually death. However, if diagnosed early, the infection can be completely cured.

Dr. Thawat revealed that the primary symptoms of this new infectious disease are similar to those found in tuberculosis (TB) and general influenzas. He, therefore, advised if fever persists for more than one or two days despite taking paracetamol, the patient should receive medical advice from physicians. (TNA)-E007

[sbk]

Woman killed by bacterium capable of making biological weapon

A bacterium called Franscisella tularensis which killed a 37-year-old woman in Prachaup Khiri Khan province could be used as a biological weapon agent by terrorists, says Dr Thawat Suntracharn, the chief of the Department of Disease Control.

He said Franscisella tularensis is one of 13 bacteria listed by the World Health Organisation that could be used to produce biological weapons. The bacteria can cause severe symptoms in humans, resulting in Tularensis disease, also known as Rabbit fever.

The Nation

[LaoPo]

Woman killed by bacterium capable of making biological weapon

A bacterium called Franscisella tularensis which killed a 37-year-old woman in Prachaup Khiri Khan province could be used as a biological weapon agent by terrorists, says Dr Thawat Suntracharn, the chief of the Department of Disease Control.

He said Franscisella tularensis is one of 13 bacteria listed by the World Health Organisation that could be used to produce biological weapons. The bacteria can cause severe symptoms in humans, resulting in Tularensis disease, also known as Rabbit fever.

The Nation

.......from the first message:.........."is one of 33 new diseases in Thailand".....33 ???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisella_tularensis

and images: (not pleasant...)

http://images.google.nl/images?hl=en&l...sa=N&tab=wi

LaoPo

[Scott]

I am surprised that they aren't blaming foreigners for giving to the rabbits. I guess the politicians haven't gotten involved yet.

[Tony Clifton]

A virulent new infectious disease?

I've known about this disease for aover 30 years, since I was 11 when I started trapping as a young boy. The Canadian government and rabbit farms, hunters and trappers were already well aware back then about tularemia. New to Thailand? I doubt it.

[Daisy75]

Just another hype by the newspapers...

[geriatrickid]

Very odd report. Tularemia is found in midland and northern China.

Something isn't right if it is found this far south.

[pampal]

Beware

[gjones]

This doctor Thawat, shouldn’t he be a gynecologist with a name like that.

[Lithobid]

Spin Spin Spin.....................

"Dr. Thawat Suntrajarn issued the warning of a new communicable disease"

I do love this country, but it's press like this that gets me down.

I wonder if the next chicken pox victim will be considered a

"New communicable disease"

Lith

[astral]

Just how do they know it is air-borne?

Surely she handled the rabbits and cleaned their living quarters.

[Tony Clifton]