Porcine Circovirus is an emerging problem in the US. The cause of the disease is porcine circovirus type 2 or (PCV2), zoonotic strain. Also sometimes oral infection can cause this. The porcine circovirus is in the virus family of circoviridae.They replicate in the nucleus of infected cells. Type 2 is the kind that affects pigs. An interesting fact that is that it can be present with no symptoms. But when there are symptoms they are poor growth where is when the pigs stall small or grow little. Increased mortality which is the death rate of the pigs. Another one is weight loss. The pigs will get enlarged lymph nodes which are small structures that work as filters for harmful substances. They are located in many places like the neck and above
In 1994, a stable in Hendra, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia broke out with an unknown respiratory disease that resulted in thirteen horses and one horse trainer severely ill, resulting in death. [7, 8] This disease was isolated by scientists and later classified as the Hendra virus. The Hendra virus (HeV), previously unknown, is now classified under the family Paramyxoviridae, genus Henipavirus along with its sister viruses the Nipah Virus and Cedar virus.[7, 9] HeV has the capability of causing fatal diseases in several animal species including humans.[1] The primary host of the Hendra virus was identified as the flying fox species from the genus Pteropus[1,2,3] that resides and migrates through Northeastern Australia[8] or more specifically, the East coast of Australia to Melbourne and west across Northern Australia to Darwin[7].
The Panic Virus: A True Story of Medicine, Science, and Fear written by Seth Mnookin offers something for all potential readers. For those who are anti-vaccine, Mnookin offers valid science, testimony, history, and excerpts that demonstrate that vaccinating a child can be more beneficial than not. Instead of simply dismissing those who do not vaccinate their children, Mnookin offers valid points to counter argue in this debate. Mnookin offers thought, logic, reasoning, and research into his arguments, showing that his opinion is rooted in fact, rather than opinion or belief. Those who are on the fence about vaccination may find this book useful in that Mnookin not only offers plenty valid points about pro-vaccination, however, he also provides
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a fatal neuro-degenerative, transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of the family Cervidae (Hamir, et.al., 2006). The family Cervidae includes mule deer, Odocolileus hemionus, white-tailed deer, Odocolileus virginianus, Rocky Mountain elk, Cervus elaphus nelsoni, and moose, Alces alces shirasi, among others (Sigurdon & Aguzzi, 2007). CWD is a prion disease, meaning it is a protein caused infection, that occurs naturally in the deer family (Song & Lawson, 2009). This protein is suspected to be an abnormal isoform (PrPSc) of the naturally occurring host prion protein (PrPC) (Blanchong, et. Al., 2009). Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), mad cow disease, is a similar prion effecting cattle as CWD affects Cervidae. Although, scientists are not sure of transmission route it is suspected that CWD is transmissible and infectious through direct contact with infected individuals or through environmental contamination (Song & Lawson, 2009). Tests have been performed showing susceptibility of altered mice to oral transmission, mimicking the suspected route of entry, and the incubation appears slower but lasts longer with oral infection (Trifilo, et.al., 2007). The approximate time from the initial infection to death is three years.
All members of the cat family (Felidae) are susceptible to infection with feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), as are raccoons, and minks, in the family Procyoniclae. Three major body sytems are affected by FPV. FPV specifically depresses the white blood cells and thus the immune system of the host, it attacks the rapidly reproducing cells lining the gut, and FPV affects the reproducing cells of the cerebellum and the retina of the eye when they are in their developing stage. The system it chooses depends on the age of the cat at the time of infection.
Normally, cows in Northern Europe in places such as Denmark live normal lives simply grazing on grass, and existing. However, there have been recent changes that have disrupted this normal activity. Generally the bluetongue virus (spread by Culicoides imicola, a biting midge) has been confined to Southern Europe and other places around the Mediterranean. But with the increase in temperature throughout the area, the midge has been allowed to migrate northward. This new pest is a nuisance and causes lots of difficulties to farmers in the area. When a cow contracts this disease, they usually also receive oral ulcers, salivation, stiffness, fever and eventually the inevitable- death (Merck Veterinary Manual NP). Because of the increase in temperature, midges have spread around the globe infecting livestock and creating terrible trouble for many farmers.
There are currently a number of studies being performed on the potential effects of Chronic Wasting disease on human health. So far, CWD has only been transferred outside of the cervid family in laboratory settings by intracerebral injections. There have not been any cases of increased human prion diseases in CWD endemic areas, nor is there currently any evidence indicating humans can contract the disease. Because of the long incubation period of CWD, more studies and years of follow ups are necessary to fully determine if human health can be affected by this disease. As of now, however, there is no evidence that humans or even other animals are affected by Chronic Wasting Disease.
Feline Leukemia Virus is caused by C-type RNA viruses (Padman S. Sarma & Robert J. Huebner, et al). It is what is known as a retrovirus, and it occurs in all species of cats. All retroviruses produce an enzyme that allows them to inject their genetic material into healthy cells, causing the once-healthy cell to become infected and take on properties of the virus (Feline Leukemia Virus). The name comes from the original attempt to understand the virus, and it was believed to be similar to leukemia in humans. By the time the actual cause of the virus was discovered the misnomer of “leukemia” had already become commonly used, and leukemia was then used as part of the virus’ official name. While the virus produces leukemia-like symptoms, it can also lead to cases of lymphoma (Raoul E. Benveniste & Charles J. Sherr, et al).
For approximately three-thousand years, smallpox has ravaged and plagued the four corners of the globe. In fact, in the 17 th and 18 th centuries, it was claimed to be the most infectious disease in the West, with an astounding 90% mortality rate in America. It wasn't until 1796, with English surgeon Edward Jenner's smallpox vaccination, that the world saw relief from this devastating virus. However, even with this inoculation in use, the world continued to witness death from both the virus and the vaccine. In the year 1966, it was estimated that 10-15 million infected citizens world wide had passed away from smallpox that year alone ( “History” 12). As a result of these devastating numbers, in the following year, 1967, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) created a program to eradicate the smallpox virus. Ten years later, in 1977, the estimated 10-15 million cases had dwindled down to one; a man in Somalia. Three years later, W.H.O. officially announced that smallpox had been eradicated, leaving the only remaining virus cultures stored and guarded in laboratories in Russia and the United States. Inoculations ceased, smallpox epidemics were non-existent, and the virus was no longer a concern. In order to ensure complete eradication of this deadly virus, the W.H.O. insisted that the remaining smallpox cultures be destroyed by 1999 ( “Smallpox Eradication” 2). However, despite the W.H.O.'s recommendation, the remaining cultures continue to be contained and protected to this day, five years after the suggested date of elimination.
The Ebola Virus is an extremely deadly virus found in Africa. There have been multiple outbreaks across Africa and one in the United States. The Ebola virus basically causes uncontrollable bleeding externally and internally. Then your organs become liquefied. This usually results in death(www.encyclopedia.com). The following report contains info on the characteristics and history of the Ebola Virus.
The Ebola Virus Ebola is a virus and part of the negative-stranded RNA family known as filovirus. It was discovered in 1976 in Africa and was named after a river in Zaire. When the virus is looked at under an electron microscope, the filoviridae appear to be long, thin and occasionally they have 'branches' sprouting from one place or another. Ebola can also take the form of a U or a B. There are four known strains of the virus; they are Ebola Sudan, Ebola Zaire, Ebola Reston and Ebola Tai. Ebola Reston only causes disease in monkeys, but the rest of them take approximately 8 hours to duplicate itself.
The Ebola virus was discovered in 1976. It has four strains, each from a different geographic area, but all give their victims the same painful, often lethal symptoms.
The Ebola Haemorrahagic Fever, or Ebola for short, was first recognized as a virus in 1967. The first breakout that caused the Ebola virus to be recognized was in Zaire with 318 people infected and 280 killed. There are five subtypes of the Ebola virus, but only four of them affect humans. There are the Ebola-Zaire, Ebola-Sudan, Ebola-Ivory Coast and the Ebola-Bundibugyo. The fifth one, the Ebola-Reston, only affects nonhuman primates. The Ebola-Zaire was recognized on August 26, 1976 with a 44 year old schoolteacher as the first reported case. The Ebola-Sudan virus was also recognized in 1976 and was thought to be that same as Ebola-Zaire and it is thought to have broken out in a cotton factory in the Sudan. The Ebola-Ivory Coast was first discovered in 1994 in chimpanzees in the Tia Forest in Africa. On November 24, 2007, the Ebola-Bundibugyo branch was discovered with an approximate total of 116 people infected in the first outbreak and 39 deaths. The Ebola-Reston is the only one of the five subtypes to not affect humans, only nonhuman primates. It first broke out in Reston, Virginia in 1989 among crab eating macaques.
The purpose of this paper is to focus on a subject within my educational field that I can research and inform the public about. I plan to become a veterinarian .which would require my daily contact with humans and animals. Zoonotic diseases are risk factors that I have to be aware of in order to protect myself as well as my patients and their owners. Luckily developments in medicine have made it possible to cure zoonotic diseases and even prevent them from ever being contracted.
Reports on Veterinary Research Findings from Baylor College of Medicine, College of Medicine Provide New Insights. " Food & Farm Week 92 (2010): n. pag. Print. The. Richman, Laura K., Richard J. Montali, Richard C. Cambre, Dennis Schmitt, Douglas Hardy, Thomas Hildbrandt, Roy G. Bengis, Fayez M. Hamzeh, Akbar Shahkolahi, and Gary S. Hayward. " Clinical and Pathological Findings of a Newly Recognized Disease of Elephants Caused by Endotheliotropic Herpesviruses."
Often people are reluctant to become involved in a situation unless it directly affects them. This paper will prove that the Ebola virus is a serious problem facing the world’s population. In the United States today, we are not at risk for being infected; however, it is better to be prepared for the worst than to be caught off guard. AIDS was the first of these African viruses to escape the wilds of the Third World and harm others in the world. AIDS was ignored for too long before it began its' global rampage.