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Virus Crisis | National Geographic


monkey pox SARS West Nile these new

monkey pox SARS West Nile these new illnesses are all viruses and they’re

illnesses are all viruses and they’re

illnesses are all viruses and they’re all ZOA notic diseases ones that

all ZOA notic diseases ones that

all ZOA notic diseases ones that normally live in animals and have

normally live in animals and have

normally live in animals and have somehow jumped into people 25 years ago

somehow jumped into people 25 years ago

somehow jumped into people 25 years ago HIV was an obscure virus that evolved

HIV was an obscure virus that evolved

HIV was an obscure virus that evolved from rainforest monkeys today some 40

from rainforest monkeys today some 40

from rainforest monkeys today some 40 million people are infected could one of

million people are infected could one of

million people are infected could one of these newly emerging viruses be the next

these newly emerging viruses be the next

these newly emerging viruses be the next HIV and threaten us all for many years

HIV and threaten us all for many years

HIV and threaten us all for many years I’ve been giving a talk called revenge

I’ve been giving a talk called revenge

I’ve been giving a talk called revenge of the rainforest and you know people

of the rainforest and you know people

of the rainforest and you know people always thought that was an interesting

always thought that was an interesting

always thought that was an interesting topic but certainly not relevant to

topic but certainly not relevant to

topic but certainly not relevant to those living safely in Wisconsin or Ohio

those living safely in Wisconsin or Ohio

those living safely in Wisconsin or Ohio or Indiana but there are lots of

or Indiana but there are lots of

or Indiana but there are lots of examples of diseases rainforest diseases

examples of diseases rainforest diseases

examples of diseases rainforest diseases becoming major public health problems in

becoming major public health problems in

becoming major public health problems in the rest of the world in 1999 a deadly

the rest of the world in 1999 a deadly

the rest of the world in 1999 a deadly disease emerged in the u.s. that had

disease emerged in the u.s. that had

disease emerged in the u.s. that had never been seen before in the Western

never been seen before in the Western

never been seen before in the Western Hemisphere

Hemisphere

Hemisphere it was West Nile virus nobody had even

it was West Nile virus nobody had even

it was West Nile virus nobody had even remotely imagined West Nile coming to

remotely imagined West Nile coming to

remotely imagined West Nile coming to the United States I mean here is is it

the United States I mean here is is it

the United States I mean here is is it disease its entire ecology involves the

disease its entire ecology involves the

disease its entire ecology involves the Nile Sudan Upper Egypt swamp lands a

Nile Sudan Upper Egypt swamp lands a

Nile Sudan Upper Egypt swamp lands a very specific set of birds and

very specific set of birds and

very specific set of birds and mosquitoes indigenous to that ecology no

mosquitoes indigenous to that ecology no

mosquitoes indigenous to that ecology no one could have imagined it could emerge

one could have imagined it could emerge

one could have imagined it could emerge in the concrete jungle of Manhattan and

in the concrete jungle of Manhattan and

in the concrete jungle of Manhattan and queens and become a problem that now is

queens and become a problem that now is

queens and become a problem that now is seen in almost every single state in the

seen in almost every single state in the

seen in almost every single state in the United States and carried by indigenous

United States and carried by indigenous

United States and carried by indigenous mosquitoes and indigenous birds partly

mosquitoes and indigenous birds partly

mosquitoes and indigenous birds partly because it was so unexpected West Nile

because it was so unexpected West Nile

because it was so unexpected West Nile proved difficult to identify it began

proved difficult to identify it began

proved difficult to identify it began with a rash of encephalitis cases in New

with a rash of encephalitis cases in New

with a rash of encephalitis cases in New York then hundreds of dead crows began

York then hundreds of dead crows began

York then hundreds of dead crows began to appear but it took time to connect

to appear but it took time to connect

to appear but it took time to connect the two until 2002 Dan Scanlon was a

the two until 2002 Dan Scanlon was a

the two until 2002 Dan Scanlon was a vigorous man then he and his wife Betty

vigorous man then he and his wife Betty

vigorous man then he and his wife Betty were both bitten by a mosquito Dan

were both bitten by a mosquito Dan

were both bitten by a mosquito Dan collapsed

collapsed

collapsed was in the hospital in a coma and when I

was in the hospital in a coma and when I

was in the hospital in a coma and when I woke up I found out that she was in the

woke up I found out that she was in the

woke up I found out that she was in the hospital with apparently the same thing

hospital with apparently the same thing

hospital with apparently the same thing they performed a spinal tap on Betty –

they performed a spinal tap on Betty –

they performed a spinal tap on Betty – and it was inconclusive but why of all

and it was inconclusive but why of all

and it was inconclusive but why of all symptoms are there exactly that doctor

symptoms are there exactly that doctor

symptoms are there exactly that doctor said yet she definitely had West Nile

said yet she definitely had West Nile

said yet she definitely had West Nile virus and I never saw her conscious

virus and I never saw her conscious

virus and I never saw her conscious again Dan’s wife Betty was killed by

again Dan’s wife Betty was killed by

again Dan’s wife Betty was killed by West Nile virus Dan himself was left

West Nile virus Dan himself was left

West Nile virus Dan himself was left badly disabled the virus can cause

badly disabled the virus can cause

badly disabled the virus can cause inflammation of the brain disorientation

inflammation of the brain disorientation

inflammation of the brain disorientation and paralysis in 2006 West Nile killed

and paralysis in 2006 West Nile killed

and paralysis in 2006 West Nile killed 177 people in the u.s. mostly elderly

177 people in the u.s. mostly elderly

177 people in the u.s. mostly elderly very young or with weakened immune

very young or with weakened immune

very young or with weakened immune systems

systems

systems fortunately the odds of catching it are

fortunately the odds of catching it are

fortunately the odds of catching it are small the disease is spread by

small the disease is spread by

small the disease is spread by mosquitoes and one of them could even

mosquitoes and one of them could even

mosquitoes and one of them could even have brought West Nile to the US all it

have brought West Nile to the US all it

have brought West Nile to the US all it takes is an infected bug to stow away on

takes is an infected bug to stow away on

takes is an infected bug to stow away on an international flight now West Nile is

an international flight now West Nile is

an international flight now West Nile is carried by birds in the United States as

carried by birds in the United States as

carried by birds in the United States as they follow their migratory routes they

they follow their migratory routes they

they follow their migratory routes they ferry the virus with them one recent

ferry the virus with them one recent

ferry the virus with them one recent study indicated it’s had a devastating

study indicated it’s had a devastating

study indicated it’s had a devastating impact on birds killing hundreds of

impact on birds killing hundreds of

impact on birds killing hundreds of thousands and now that West Nile is

thousands and now that West Nile is

thousands and now that West Nile is established in our ecosystem it’s

established in our ecosystem it’s

established in our ecosystem it’s probably here to stay

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