I hope freedom loving Kansans got educated during the ill-concieved “Kansas Mask Experiment of 2021”.
Science and arithmetic actually saves lives. Don’t let the donkey kick you twice.
intercst
9 Likes
Its reported there is a vaccine for TB, but not commonly used in the US.
Should people in Kansas be vaccinated?
Combination drugs are reportedly effective in treatment, but TB gradually develops resistance. Is drug resistance part of the problem? Why Kansas?
Shhh. Don’t tell anybody and it’ll go away.
6 Likes
A very efficacious live weakened vaccine exists, I think it is nuts not to have take it if you can, but then I used to travel a lot, often in crowded places with walking sick all around.
3 Likes
I recently watched Moulin Rouge! the musical and ::spoiler:: …
The lead actress dies from “Consumption.”
No one in my family had any idea what that was. Had to look it up after the show. Turns out it is Tuberculosis.
2 Likes
A lot of folks aren’t very familiar with Puccini anymore, which I find sad.
A nice quick summary of La Boheme:
Pete
Build a wall around Kansas–to protect the USA. Then FREE LAND !!
I recently picked up a Moulin Rouge DVD at a thrift store.
I’ll have to move it up in the “watch queue”.
ralph
You do know that is the blue part of the state?
State public health officials say there is “very low risk to the general public.”
DB2
That’s what Xi said.
ralph
2 Likes
I believe that was the leading cause of death in Ireland when it was under British rule.
intercst
Typhus probably killed more people. While tuberculosis routinely killed about 4-5000 people every year in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Ireland, a typhus epidemic in 1816-17 killed over 65,000 people and there were six typhus epidemics that century. During the famine of the 1840s typhus killed at least 400,000.
DB2
Never saw the movie. Catch it live if you can. I would have to imagine it is so much better in person (and I think updated songs from the 2001 movie).
1 Like
There have been TB outbreaks elsewhere in the U.S., e.g., Long Beach, CA that DrBob2 posted about here back in May 2024. I made the following reply post that may be applicable here with more details and more relevant info about TB for those here unfamiliar with the May 2024 postings about the Long Beach case.
Here are more details for those interested.
City of Long Beach, CA Press Release May 2, 2024
Official City of Long Beach Statement Regarding Public Health Emergency in Response to Local Tuberculosis Outbreak; Risk to Population at Large Remains Low
Today, May 2, 2024, City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis declared a local public health emergency to strengthen the City’s preparedness and ability to respond to a localized tuberculosis (TB) outbreak.
About the Outbreak
Several individuals associated with a single room occupancy (SRO) hotel in Long Beach have recently been identified with TB disease. As of April 29, 14 cases of TB disease have been associated with this outbreak; nine people have been hospitalized at some point in their illness; and one person has died. To protect patient privacy and comply with HIPAA regulations, the name of the hotel will not be released. The facility is a private hotel not operated by or contracted with the City of Long Beach. People who were staying at the hotel at the time or could have otherwise been exposed have been or will be contacted by the Health Department.
About Tuberculosis
The risk of TB for people who live, work, study or visit in Long Beach remains very low. Tuberculosis, also known as TB, is a serious illness caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Like COVID-19, TB spreads through the air, such as when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks. However, TB is not as quickly transmitted as COVID-19, and usually requires prolonged exposure between the person with TB disease and family, friends or everyday close contacts. Crowded and poorly ventilated environments are risk factors for tuberculosis transmission. Not everyone exposed will become infected and not everyone infected with the bacteria becomes sick. Generally, persons at high risk for developing TB disease fall into two categories:
• Persons who have been recently infected with TB bacteria
• Persons with medical conditions that weaken the immune system
People experiencing homelessness, people who use illicit substances and people with HIV are also at an increased risk of becoming infected with TB germs compared to the general population.
————————
From a Live Science article:
The outbreak follows an uptick in TB across the entire state of California. More than 2,100 active cases of the disease were reported last year, which is 15% more than were reported in 2022. This marks a return to typical levels of active TB seen prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, when cases temporarily dipped.
Tuberculosis, which is caused by the microbe Mycobacterium tuberculosis, can lie latent in a person’s body, initially causing no symptoms, and then activate if the immune system is weakened by age or disease. About 5% to 10% of people who carry the bacteria ultimately develop active TB.
——————————
SOURCE OF THE WORD CONSUMPTION
From the NIH national Library of Medicine, December 2018 Tuberculosis—the Face of Struggles, the Struggles We Face, and the Dreams That Lie Within:
Tuberculosis disease, or phthisis (ϕθίσις, the Greek word for consumption), was named by the father of allopathic medicine, Hippocrates (c. 460–370 BCE), because the disease appeared to consume the affected person through substantial weight loss and wasting. Hippocrates warned his students against treating persons in late stages of tuberculosis, because nearly all of their patients would die, which would likely tarnish their reputations as healers.
Today, >10 million persons become ill with tuberculosis, and 2 million die from the disease each year. India accounts for the largest number of persons with tuberculosis and tuberculosis-related deaths in the world.
———————————————————
My family’s personal experience with TB
In the early-1900s, tuberculosis was called “consumption” or “black lung disease;” at that time, a tuberculosis outbreak hit Honolulu, Hawaii.
In 1919, my maternal l grandmother departed Nagasaki, Japan on a steamship and arrived in Honolulu to finalize a marriage to my maternal grandfather, arranged by their respective families. After birthing four daughters, my grandmother got weaker and sicker due to “consumption” and sent to Le’ahi Home where she died in 1929; Le’ahi was originally charted in 1901 as the Honolulu Home for Incurables and changed to the “Lēʻahi Home” in 1906; In 1942 the word “Hospital” was substituted for the word “Home”. My grandmother either arrived in Honolulu with TB latent in her body or caught TB during the TB outbreak in Honolulu. My mother’s youngest sister died at age 5, two years after her mother’s death due to pneumonia or possibly TB. My mother’s second oldest sister stubbornly sneaked food into Le’ahi to feed her mother who repeatedly scolded her for doing that. TB manifested years later in this sister, who ended up in Le’ahi, lost one lung and survived TB, married the Le’ahi attendant who took care of her, had 3 children, had a full-time job retiring in her 60s and lived a good life.
Regards,
Ray
3 Likes
Another pandemic right on time. Just wish we had a real leader to take care of this.
They are already starting to down play this.
Meanwhile, bird flu is being found in the wastewater in New Jersey. Meanwhile, all the health departments are not allowed to talk to each other, and are being dismantled.
4 Likes
Do you mean the health professionals in New Jersey can’t call those in New Mexico?
DB2
Are you being deliberately obtuse? From perplexity.ai:
The Trump administration implemented several measures that significantly hindered the communication of health-related issues during the first week of his second term:
• Communication Freeze Across Health Agencies: Federal health agencies, including the CDC, FDA, and NIH, were directed to halt all external communications until reviewed by a presidential appointee. This included press releases, social media updates, and scientific publications like the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), which was paused for the first time in decades. The freeze is set to last until February 1, 2025, with exceptions only for critical health and safety matters.
• Cancellation of Scientific Meetings and Data Delays: Numerous scientific meetings were canceled, and research data on urgent issues like the bird flu outbreak was delayed due to confusion over the new directive.
• Restrictions on Travel and WHO Engagement: Health agency employees were prohibited from traveling, including for previously scheduled speaking engagements. Additionally, CDC staff were ordered to cut off communication with the World Health Organization (WHO) and begin withdrawing U.S. personnel from WHO assignments.
• Centralized Review of Public Health Information: All public materials, including regulations, guidance documents, and Federal Register notices, required prior approval from political appointees. This centralized control disrupted the flow of critical health information.
These actions have sparked concerns among health officials and scientists about delays in addressing public health crises and maintaining transparency.
7 Likes
Now I ask myself who wants to declare something critical? We are going back to taking ivermectin and bleach to “cure” diseases.
2 Likes