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Mo. University to Lead Smallpox Study »

Posted by: STONERS 2 years, 7 months ago

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Saint Louis University said Monday it will lead a national study of a new vaccine for smallpox, once one of the world's most feared diseases and now considered a threat to re-emerge as a bioweapon.

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STONERS
April 30, 2007, 11:13 p.m.
Smallpox was eradicated globally in 1980 as the result of a World Health Organization campaign. But concerns that stored smallpox virus could be used in a bioterrorist attack has prompted questions about how quickly a vaccine could start protecting exposed citizens.
"If there was a release of smallpox today, and we vaccinated today, how rapid would the immune response have to be in order to prevent the person from developing the disease?"
Avg rating: (+2/-4 -2)
BronxBomber
May 1, 2007, 12:18 a.m.
Hey Stoners, they say that it could be a bio terroristic weapon but they are not sure, but we can get vaccinated within 3 to 4 days of intial contact with the virus, but the article does not specify as to what are the early symptoms, so how does one know if they have it? As far as the dissertations in the article are concerned, then we have nothing to worry about then, would I be correct in assuming so? or is this a revelation of a new strain that is really potent? This is scary stuff if it is indeed left in some malicious hands!
Avg rating: (+3/-1 2)
ETproductions
May 1, 2007, 12:22 a.m.
I hope they come up with good answers. Being a pre 1980s model, I come complete with the smallpox vaccination scar on my left arm. But there are a ton of people, My son included, who have no protection from this killer.
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MetalNun
May 1, 2007, 4:05 a.m.
Never mind a terrorist attack. If we were all to go ahead and get vaccinated the resulting vaccine-related illnesses and side effects would kill and injure a good number of us and protection against the "real" disease is not guaranteed. That's why the health authorities are not recommending it.
Avg rating: (+0/-0 0)
chevydog
May 1, 2007, 9:19 a.m.
As we noted when European settler first mingled with American Indians, exposure of an unprotected population to smallpox can be deadly.
One wonders what security procedures there are for any surviving smallpox virus.
Avg rating: (+6/-0 6)
ontherock
May 1, 2007, 10:44 a.m.
NICE?? It sickens me that people just can't wait to kill other people??
How sad!
Nanny nanny nah nah my disease is more deadly than yours!!!! YIKES!!!!
Avg rating: (+1/-3 -2)
Egodeus
May 1, 2007, 2:01 p.m.
The problem with terrorism by smallpox terrorism is that for the most part until severe symptoms show doctors wouldn't suspect an "extinct" virus to be the cause thus allowing the infected to spread of the disease.
Avg rating: (+3/-0 3)
KSUmarksman
May 1, 2007, 2:03 p.m.
I hope their new vaccine is not as haphazardly concocted as that deadly POS the Army is calling a vaccine!
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preppylilkitten
May 1, 2007, 2:14 p.m.
this is scary :(, I don't wanna die :(
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Watchemoket
May 1, 2007, 2:31 p.m.
I may be sinking into paranoia here, but I really suspect a ploy by the pharmaceutical industry to sell a new vaccine to governments around the world to deal with a virtually non-existent threat.
The Wiki article said that "Black pox is a symptom of smallpox ...," not that it is a different form.
It is a terrible choice to make, though - gambling on whether some nutcase is going to use smallpox as a bioweapon. Of course, since it was eradicated a generation ago the only remaining sources should be samples retained by some countries specifically for bio-weapon purposes.
When are they going to learn that if you keep something like that around 'just in case' it will eventually cause more problems than it could ever hope to solve?
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Egodeus
May 1, 2007, 5:05 p.m.
Another scary thought sis in a world in which you can get from anyplace in the world within a day or so by airplane am undetected attack could happen in the middle east, Europe or The far east which could be spread to the American continuant within hours, long before we'd even know what it is.
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stephend
May 1, 2007, 9:33 p.m.
Smallpox vaccines have also been known to help prime the body to deal with molluscum infections, which are both common in children, as well as appearing as an STD in adults.