paul@phs.UUCP (Paul C. Dolber) (08/20/85)
Eugene Miya (ames!eugene) recently wrote in net.followup regarding the creation of racially-specific microorganisms: A couple of books on the subject, one by a USA Col. and the other by Robin Cook on Biological warfare mention racially specific characteristics [in particular, cocc.*: aka San J. Valley Fever, a fungus]... No need to create new germs anew when many exist already. Coccidiodomycosis (aka "valley fever" or "San Joaquin [Valley] fever") is indeed a fungal infection, acquired by inhalation of Coccidioides immitis (in dust, esp. in SW USA and Chaco district of Argentina). May be benign or disseminated. Approx. 50% of benign cases are asymptomatic. Remainder have flu-like symptoms. In 0.05-0.2% of cases, disseminated form occurs. Dark-skinned persons and pregnant women are more vulnerable. 85-90% of blacks and Filipinos w/disseminated form die, versus 50% of Caucasians. Even those with disseminated form may survive for several years. Think you'd better create a new one if you're after a good racially-specific biological warfare agent. Facts above from "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 8th Ed." and Robbins' "Pathologic Basis of Disease." Regards, Paul Dolber (...duke!phs!paul).
fsks@unc.UUCP (Frank Silbermann) (08/21/85)
In article <1040@phs.UUCP> paul@phs.UUCP (Paul C. Dolber) writes: >Eugene Miya (ames!eugene) recently wrote in net.followup regarding the >creation of racially-specific microorganisms: > > A couple of books on the subject, one by a USA Col. and the other > by Robin Cook on Biological warfare mention racially specific > characteristics [in particular, cocc.*: aka San J. Valley Fever, a > fungus]... No need to create new germs anew when many exist already. > >Coccidiodomycosis (aka "valley fever" or "San Joaquin [Valley] fever") >is indeed a fungal infection, acquired by inhalation of Coccidioides >immitis (in dust, esp. in SW USA and Chaco district of Argentina). >May be benign or disseminated. > Dark-skinned persons and pregnant women are more vulnerable. >85-90% of blacks and Filipinos w/disseminated form die, versus 50% of >Caucasians. Even those with disseminated form may survive for several >years. Think you'd better create a new one if you're after a good >racially-specific biological warfare agent. It may not be possible to create completely racially specific germs, since no race is pure. One might be able to create germs which attack one group more heavily than another, but all ethnic groups are likely to be affected, to some extent. Frank Silbermann
fjpls@mtuxn.UUCP (P.STEVENS) (08/22/85)
Newsgroups: net.followup,net.med Subject: Re: Viral infections (San Joaquin Valley Fever). Reply-To: fjpls@mtuxn.UUCP (01275-P.STEVENS) Organization: AT&T Information Systems, Freehold, New Jersey Keywords: In article <phs.1040> paul@phs.UUCP (Paul C. Dolber) writes: > >> .... >Coccidiodomycosis (aka "valley fever" or "San Joaquin [Valley] fever") >is indeed a fungal infection, acquired by inhalation of Coccidioides >immitis (in dust, esp. in SW USA and Chaco district of Argentina). >> ... This fungus is even more insidious then you can imagine. Several years ago my mother had an operation to remove a growth (tumor?) from her lung. The doctors found that the growth was caused by a fungus found only in one of the valley areas in California (probably San Joaqin but I can't be certain now)! What is so insidious is THE LAST TIME MY MOTHER HAD BEEN TO CALIFORNIA WAS > 15 YEARS PREVIOUS. Apparently you can inhale the fungus and it can just hang around inertly in your body till it makes up its mind to do something nasty (maybe never). WHAT A TIMEBOMB! The doctors said that there are also a couple of other equally nasty fungi which frequent other regions of the country. Given my mother's problem, I wonder whether the population of those regions know the danger. Try not to thing too hard about it - it will keep you up at night. Paul Steven - mtuxn!fjpls
eugene@ames.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (08/23/85)
> Coccidiodomycosis (aka "valley fever" or "San Joaquin [Valley] fever") > years. Think you'd better create a new one if you're after a good > racially-specific biological warfare agent. Facts above from "Harrison's > Principles of Internal Medicine, 8th Ed." and Robbins' "Pathologic > Basis of Disease." Regards, Paul Dolber (...duke!phs!paul). 1) This discussion should move out of followup. Unless people are interested. 2) Biological agents come in several categories: lethal agent, incapacitants, and so forth. Coccidiodomycosis was supposedily for use as a chronic incapacitant in contrast to something like Dengue Fever as an accute incapacitant. Different forms of anthrax and plague are obviously lethal agents. The disussion about things like SCA and maleria as weapons is ridiculous: they would not good agents for a variety of reasons such as mass production, virulence, and so forth. My god, what am I say? I beginning to sound like some of my Uncle's colleagues who used to work on this stuff. The above does not represent the viewpoint of my employer [not this part any way]. --eugene