MetaFilter posts tagged with diseases

We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat

fiercecupcake — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:42:53 -0800

Screwworms, once the scourge of livestock (as well as pets and occasionally humans [link to VERY GRAPHIC slideshow]) throughout the Western Hemisphere, have been eradicated from the United States since 1966. In addition to constant vigilance by veterinary services and livestock handlers, who treated wounds immediately and set traps [link to 1920s informational film], the method which ultimately led to control of this horrifying pest is sterile insect technique. Maps showing the progress of the technique can be seen here. The USDA's National Agriculture Library maintains a special collection on the Screwworm Eradication Program. Here is a good overview of the problem and the USDA's solution, complete with (somewhat gruesome) pictures and videos. Annual producer benefits of the screwworm eradication are estimated at 796 million USD (USA), 292 million USD (Mexico), and 77.9 million USD (Central America). However, the screwworm's eradication is somewhat tenuous, even in the US, Mexico, and Central America. Cases still present in animals shipped from affected areas, including Argentina, Jamaica, and Panama. A look at the final frontiers of screwworm eradication (PDF).

The Williamsburg Avenger

PeterMcDermott — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:23:52 -0800

When two Williamsburg hipsters met at a party, they exchanged more than just telephone numbers. Hell hath no fury like a hipster infected. Meet the Williamsburg Avenger. (via Gawker)

Forever Pregnant II: Morality Boogaloo

boost ventilator — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 18:43:10 -0800

The new lies about women's health (image slightly NSFW) according to Glamour. More on why every egg is sacred to the Bush administration. [via Wired's Sex Drive Daily]

We're all going to die

tommyc — Tue, 01 Mar 2005 12:00:28 -0800

We're all going to "die". Genocratic discourse or small-scale post-millennial angst?

an immediate solution for water sanitation in the tsunami affected areas

elle — Thu, 30 Dec 2004 21:02:26 -0800

Sodis.ch is a Swiss group which has conducted low cost water treatment research in areas of the world currently affected by the tsunami. There are immediate concerns with waterbourne microbial diseases. The entire region is receiving rainfall at the moment. Shipping in massive amounts of plastic bottles to sanitize that falling water may be a viable immediate fix for water sanitation.

July, 2004 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic:

fold_and_mutilate — Thu, 08 Jul 2004 12:20:03 -0800

July, 2004 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic: "The HIV epidemic is worse than ever." "As the AIDS pandemic enters its 24th year, the number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to increase steadily. Two thirds of infected persons are in Africa, where the epidemic exploded during the 1990s, and one fifth are in Asia, where the epidemic has been growing rapidly in recent years." A new report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS shows that ""in short, the epidemic is outstripping efforts to contain it." "We're talking about more than 8,000 deaths every single day and in the war against AIDS we know the tools that work, we know the sorts of intervention that work, and if an administration is choosing other than these, and is doing less than it ought, then they're absolutely responsible." As prevention fails and more people die, some are "still insisting that only brand-name AIDS drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, most of them manufactured by big U.S. pharmaceutical companies, can be bought by beneficiaries of U.S. aid, despite the fact they are as much as five times more expensive as their generic equivalents manufactured in poor countries."

Himmler had something sim'lar...

headspace — Tue, 23 Mar 2004 07:26:39 -0800

The Atlas of Congenital Anomalies of the External Genitalia. Though the site is selling the atlas, you don't have to buy it to peruse the examples of each anomaly in living, leg-crossing, full-color glory. You know you're not going to make it through the day unless you find out what a hypospadias cripple is. (NSFW; physicians' offices exempt.)

Journal of a Schizophrenic

moonbird — Sat, 21 Feb 2004 12:16:11 -0800

Journal of a Schizophrenic

Over the next several weeks I heard the voice every once in a while, but always in the house, when I was by myself. I became used to it, looked forward to it on occasion. I started playing pool with it. We would play a regular game of eight ball, me with the right hand and the voice with the left. I had never shot with my left hand before, but the voice won as often as not.

A pox on both your houses...

Irontom — Thu, 30 Oct 2003 09:35:11 -0800

New form of mousepox developed. A scientist has created an extremely deadly form of mousepox (a relative of smallpox) through genetic engineering. The new virus kills mice even if they have been given antiviral drugs as well as a vaccine that would normally protect them.

STD-ster

LexRockhard — Fri, 01 Aug 2003 22:26:49 -0800

STD-ster is an online community that connects people through networks of sexual partners for tracking STD contraction. (flash)

Disease Cube

kablam — Wed, 05 Mar 2003 14:32:26 -0800

Disease Cube A rather extraordinary applet. Find out about the reportable communicable diseases in the US. Many hidden features.

Syphilis, a Killer Who We Are Still Trying to Solve

thomcatspike — Tue, 28 Jan 2003 12:40:19 -0800

Syphilis, a Killer Who We Are Still Trying to Solve Did Columbus import or export Syphilis in the New World? Do we really know whom to blame for syphilis? An interesting thought on this, The Columbus & Evolution theories of syphilis. The evolution theory is that it is related to Yaws, a nonvenereal tropical disease of the skin, is the most primitive of all diseases. Please start at the bottom of page 4.
Knowledge of the past may prepare us for our future.

Personal stories about HIV/AIDS

mathowie — Sun, 01 Dec 2002 12:37:46 -0800

Among the plethora of online resources, there exist many personal stories of how the disease has touched the lives of online authors. I'm listing the ones I've found today (by all means post others you find as a comment here).
- Ultrasparky thinks about it twice a day
- Mermaniac remembers Ronnie
- PozBoy's story of getting tested
- Q's story from the hospital
- Piggyhawk's scare
- Thinkdkink's jr high assembly
- The Fray remembers Robert

I guess it trumps dying a horrible death (but not by much)

crunchland — Wed, 10 Apr 2002 17:13:14 -0800

I guess it trumps dying a horrible death (but not by much) ... "A young calf has his belly shaved. Many slashes are made in the skin. A prior batch of smallpox vaccine is dropped into the slashes and allowed to fester over a period of days. During this period of time, the calf stands in a head stall so that he can’t lick his belly. The calf is led out of the stock to a table where he is strapped down. His belly scabs and pus are scraped off and ground into a powder. The powder is the next batch of smallpox vaccine." (Excerpt from Vaccines : A Second Opinion, and link swiped wholesale from Randomwalks.)

Can't sleep at night, I can't eat a bite / When you were mine, I didn't treat you right

Settle — Wed, 10 Apr 2002 09:49:32 -0800

Can't sleep at night, I can't eat a bite / When you were mine, I didn't treat you right
o< A little treat for everyone on their lunch break.

joemaller — Thu, 25 Oct 2001 00:43:16 -0800

A few years back I remember seeing a news report asking whether adverse reactions to Anthrax vaccination during the Gulf War was responsible for Persian Gulf War Syndrome. How come no one is talking about this now?

If congress or the media start clambering for Anthrax Vaccinations, will anyone remember the adverse side effects suspected by many soldiers and scientists? Yes the FDA approved the Anthrax Vaccine, but there are still many questions about it's safety. The military is not unaware of the ongoing debate, but The FDA does not have an unblemished record.

This is all getting very X-Files... (scroll down to 1991)

palegirl — Sat, 16 Jun 2001 00:21:23 -0800

Stalking Dr. Steere Over Lyme Disease -- Dr. Allen Steere was the man who first investigated and discovered Lyme Disease in 1975, but now he is troubled that doctors nationwide are misdiagnosing other conditions as Lyme disease. He has been influential in reducing the number of Lyme diagnoses, only to be attacked by angry patients who hate and threaten him for not letting them have their chosen disease -- Dr. Steere now says, "We've come to have the idea in America that it is possible to cure anything and that everyone could be well, and it's even their right to be well, and they should be angry if the medical profession doesn't make you well."