Ana Cole
09/25/2009
SOC Blog 4
11:10
Summary
A virus that killed four people last year in South Africa has now been identified. This virus is part of a family of viruses that humans can catch from rats. The virus Lujo is an arenavirus. For a period of nine days it caused a rash, fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, severe bleeding, vomiting, organ failure, and death. This appears more dangerous than other arenaviruses. It is also related to hemorrhagic fever syndromes. Scientists have no idea where the pathogen came from. They seem to believe that is came from inhaling dust contaminated with rodent droppings. The virus can also be passed from human to human by contact with bodily fluids or open cuts. The virus was found first in Lusaka and Johannesburg in September of last year.
Reaction
This is very scary to not know the type of virus that killed four of the five people that it infected in South Africa. For it to take scientists a year to find out where the virus may have came from would be hard to take in because I could not imagine all the different tests and procedures that they use in order to pin point the exact cause of the virus. I also could not imagine how the people of South Africa felt that the scientists were unsure of where and what caused this virus. I am really glad that the scientists were able to figure out where the virus came from.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/action/printArticle?id=731084
3 comments:
That's really scary. It seems like new viruses are emerging everyday and scientists are spending more and more time trying to learn where they come from. I'm glad they finally found out where that virus came from so that they can take measures to prevent it.
That is scary. There are so many new diseases and viruses that come out it just scares me. All these people dying from them makes me realize how I should take better care of myself.
It seems like every day there is more news about more viruses and diseases. It is a scary thought that scientist are still unsure of how to prevent it or make it better. I hope that they are able to discover a way to prevent the virus soon so that more people can be helped.
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