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JamesSavik

Entry posted by JamesSavik

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Infectious diseases have changed the course of whole civilizations.

 

There is archaeological evidence suggesting that plagues may have wiped out or caused huge changes in several prehistoric civilizations.(1)

 

The Antonine Plague (2) of 165–180 AD was a major factor in weakening the Roman Empire to the point that it could be defeated. Most people think it was smallpox but we can’t be sure.

 

Black Death(3) was the most devastating pandemic in human history killing 75–200 million people in Eurasia. It came in waves starting in the 14th century with periodic recurrences until the 16th century.

 

European diseases that arrived with explorers and colonists like smallpox and measles decimated Native American populations. European diseases so depopulated Native Americans that they could only be a minor nuisance to European interlopers. Smallpox allowed the Aztec and Incan civilizations with thousands of warriors to be sacked by a few hundred Spanish Conquistadores.(4)

 

The 1918 Flu Pandemic(5) killed 50–100 million people worldwide and pushed the war weary and flu ravaged combatants of World War I to the peace table in Versailles.

 

These were just the big outbreaks that changed the courses of whole civilizations. Other diseases were a constant menace like cholera, typhoid, typhus, measles, consumption (tuberculosis and pneumonia) and other treatable diseases today that were fatal without antibiotics and mass immunizations.

 

Humanity survived for thousands of years without vaccination but, infectious diseases have definitely left their mark.

 

It is a great fear of doctors and government officals that a virus might mutate or be created by a mad man that no one has any immunity to. With world populations so high, dense and mobile, there would be nothing to stop it from killing billions.

 

Worse still- over use of antibiotics and disinfectants is creating drug resistant strains of old diseases that are now emerging threats. (6) 

 

We only THINK that we are done with infectious diseases. They are not done with us. We can only vaccinate against the worst of them and use good public health practices to contain outbreaks when they do occur.

 

Least we forget: the HIV/AIDS pandemic emerged in the early eighties and has killed millions world wide. Modern medicine and our modern world are not immune to emerging infectious diseases or new strains of the old diseases that have dogged humanity since prehistoric times.

 

_________________________________________________________

Footnotes:

 

1-  DNA Evidence that Plague Started Much Earlier Than Thought  https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/23/science/in-ancient-dna-evidence-of-plague-much-earlier-than-previously-known.html

2- Antoine Plague https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonine_Plague

3- Black Death https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Death

4- Native American Diseases & Epidemics  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_disease_and_epidemics

5- 1918 Flu Pandemic  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic

6- Dangerous Drug Resistant Infections on the Rise Among Children    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2017/02/25/dangerous-antibiotic-resistant-infections-on-the-rise-for-children-in-the-u-s-study-finds/?utm_term=.15672308e593

 

Further Reading:

Garrett, Laura The Coming Plague  

Quammen, David Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic

 

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Puppilull

Puppilull 18,786

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Few things get me so mad as when people don't vaccinate. Idiots who don't even care about those who can't make a choice to get protection or not. So babies die because of other's stupidity...

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Timothy M.

Timothy M. 50,192

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The anti-vac movement is one of the most stupid and dangerous fads in modern history. :angry: There has been discussions in Denmark about not allowing unvaccinated kids in kindergardens (unless they're exempt by doctor's orders). And since 90%+ kids attend kindergarden here, it would be very effective, but they've decided to use campaigns. Italy just passed a law saying kids have to have MFR and other basic vacs before entering school. 

The most recent idiocy in Denmark is young teen girls refusing the new HPV vaccine which will prevent many future cases of cervical cancer. The fuss and refusals are due to a social media created hysteria about unproven side effects like tiredness or depression. Thankfully, no other European country has caught this bug. :rolleyes: 

Edited by Timothy M.
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Puppilull

Puppilull 18,786

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1 hour ago, Timothy M. said:

Thankfully, no other European country has caught this bug. :rolleyes: 

 

We have pockets of the same stupidity here. Now, there are measles outbreaks. If some child would happen to be seriously injured, I wonder what they'll say then? Although, week old babies have died from hooping cough without headlines pointing fingers, though that can also be from the vaccine not being as effective. Still, anti-vaxxers aren't helping. 

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Kitt

Kitt 46,144

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Parents may legally refuse vacs here on religious basis. It is my opinion they may do so if they choose, but they do NOT have a right to then expose others if their child contracts one of the "beaten" diseases like measles. No vacs? Home school!

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Arpeggio

Arpeggio 2,742

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Post liver transplant recipients can't receive live virus vaccines, so herd immunity is important. I think everyone who can vaccinate, should. -__-

  • Like 6
Puppilull

Puppilull 18,786

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7 minutes ago, Arpeggio said:

Post liver transplant recipients can't receive live virus vaccines, so herd immunity is important. I think everyone who can vaccinate, should. -__-

 

Yes, I'm usually all for freedom of choice, but when it endangers others it's more tricky. School isn't the only place kids interact. And adults can be in danger too.

 

I actually had to explain herd immunity to a fairly intelligent person not long ago. How can people not know this?!?

 

Sorry for ranting. But I did point out this makes me mad...

  • Like 5
Mikiesboy

Mikiesboy 143,869

Posted

I'm sure the childern of 'anti-vaxxers' will be grateful when they are suffering from mumps and the effects thereof (or whatever they disease they get) when they are 27.  I'm sure they'll make greeting cards for that: Thanks Mom and Dad, having balls 2x their normal size and the fever and all the other side effects was the greatest gift ever. And i was able to share that gift with a number of other people who are equally as grateful to you as i am. 

 

Since the guy who said that the MMR causes autism has retracted that statement, why are so many still dumb enough to believe it?  People rather believe some actress who knows nothing, than people who do the research. The mind boggles, it really does. 

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glitteryantlers

glitteryantlers 3,077

Posted

We had a few cases of meningitis, young adults and teens and a baby died. The epidemic came from another country. All parents should remember to do the checkups whether the immunity is still enough and in case vaccinate again.

Little son's godmother-to-be is afraid of getting something when she'll be pregnant :-(

  • Like 3
Timothy M.

Timothy M. 50,192

Posted

We've had quite a few cases of teen boys dying of meningitis the last years, but not due to lack of vaccine - rather it was incompetence in doctors in hospitals or the medical assistance phone who didn't recognize clear symptoms. :no:  The main Danish news channel has been doing a story on it, and it's gruesome reading. In one case a young exchange student only survived because his friend called a student of medicine back home (in Spain I think). When he described the symptoms the student immediately diagnosed it as meningitis and urged them to rush to the emergency room - the person manning the phone at the hospital said it was flu and advised hot tea !

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JamesSavik

JamesSavik 24,754

Posted (edited)

20 hours ago, Timothy M. said:

 the person manning the phone at the hospital said it was flu and advised hot tea !

 

One of the deadly traps of medical diagnosis is that a whole lot of very bad things looks like flu.

 

Many people are told, it's just a virus. Go home and sleep it off.

 

This was unfortunate for postal workers in New Jersey. Several of them were diagnosed with flu and sent home by doctors.

 

They were dead in hours from inhaling weapons grade anthrax sent by letter in the 2001 anthrax attacks. (1)

 

A man just off the plane from Liberia where there was a large outbreak of ebola went to a very prestigious hospital the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He was seen and sent home. He later died of ebola and seriously contaminated an apartment building while he bled out. (2)

 

Medicine is no joke. When I was a kid I was pressured to be a doctor. I knew with my temperament, I could never handle loosing people.  

 

The people that can do the job of a doctor, and stay sharp enough to notice when things aren't adding up, are very rare and special people.

 

_________________________

 

1 - https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/postal-workers-mark-10-year-anniversary-of-anthrax-attacks/2011/10/21/gIQA4E1F4L_story.html?utm_term=.1e9e269a3567

2 - https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/08/dallas-ebola-patient-dies/16786011/

Edited by jamessavik
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MrM

MrM 8,056

Posted

NOOOO! You'll make me catch Autism! :o

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wildone

wildone 17,901

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I know the second largest city in my province and soon my own city will make parents register and prove their kids are vaccinated in order to register for school. They will be allowed to attend school but as soon as any communicable breakout, they will be sent home and not allowed to return until a certain amount of time has passed without new cases. This could mean weeks or months of your child not being allowed back to school.

 

As the school boards have said, you have the right to choose not to get your kids vaccinated, but you don't have the right to put them in danger because of it in the school system. You also have the right to pay for home schooling or babysitting if you choose that path as well.

 

One of my best friends is against vaccination and none of his kids are vaccinated. With these new rules, he is not happy with them, but he agrees with ensuring he has the right, as long as he is willing to pay the cost of that right. The thing that kills me the most, is the biggest cost will be if he loses one of his kids :(

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asamvav111

asamvav111 1,617

Posted

And here is what's happening in India. Muslims routinely refuse vaccinations because they are told by their "Imam"s that the govt. is trying to cull their numbers by vaccinating their children which will render them sterile. [And also any sort of contraception is haram in Islam, but that is another bag of worms.] Infectious diseases are still very much of a menace in developing countries like ours. The climate change, lack of medicines, anti-bacterial drug resistance, general lack of civic sense & education, improper waste management all compound into it. In the cities amongst the educated middle class, autism is a growing concern; Thank you Internet. Oh, and they also refuse vaccinations as part of political protests. All vaccinations under the EPI schedule are provided free of charge in govt. institutions all over the country. Every time a "concerned" parent asks me about  the side effects  of a vaccine, I resist the urges of biting their heads off. You have no right to kill your or any other child or any other human being. Stupidity is not an excuse. 

Interestingly enough, because we have so many big bad wolf diseases endemic still, Flu is a not a diagnosis we generally send people home with. Even in those cases, an empiric anti bacterial trial is usually given (because unlike in USA, cost of investigations is a major concern here).

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