Pestilence watch: Is Chagas the new HIV/AIDs of the Americas?
Posted on June 1, 2012 by The Extinction Protocol
June 1. 2012 – DISEASE – Chagas, a tropical disease spread by insects, is causing some fresh concern following an editorial—published earlier this week in a medical journal—that called it ‘the new AIDS of the Americas.” More than 8 million people have been infected by Chagas, most of them in Latin and Central America. But more than 300,000 live in the United States. The editorial, published by the Public Library of Science’s Neglected Tropical Diseases, said the spread of the disease is reminiscent of the early years of HIV. “There are a number of striking similarities between people living with Chagas disease and people living with HIV/AIDS,” the authors wrote, “particularly for those with HIV/AIDS who contracted the disease in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.” Both diseases disproportionately affect people living in poverty, both are chronic conditions requiring prolonged, expensive treatment, and as with patients in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, “most patients with Chagas disease do not have access to health care facilities.” Unlike HIV, Chagas is not a sexually-transmitted disease: it’s “caused by parasites transmitted to humans by blood-sucking insects,’ as the New York Times put it. “It likes to bite you on the face,” CNN reported. “It’s called the kissing bug. When it ingests your blood, it excretes the parasite at the same time. When you wake up and scratch the itch, the parasite moves into the wound and you’re infected.” -Yahoo
Pestilence watch: Is Chagas the new HIV/AIDs of the Americas?
Posted on June 1, 2012 by The Extinction Protocol
June 1. 2012 – DISEASE – Chagas, a tropical disease spread by insects, is causing some fresh concern following an editorial—published earlier this week in a medical journal—that called it ‘the new AIDS of the Americas.” More than 8 million people have been infected by Chagas, most of them in Latin and Central America. But more than 300,000 live in the United States. The editorial, published by the Public Library of Science’s Neglected Tropical Diseases, said the spread of the disease is reminiscent of the early years of HIV. “There are a number of striking similarities between people living with Chagas disease and people living with HIV/AIDS,” the authors wrote, “particularly for those with HIV/AIDS who contracted the disease in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.” Both diseases disproportionately affect people living in poverty, both are chronic conditions requiring prolonged, expensive treatment, and as with patients in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, “most patients with Chagas disease do not have access to health care facilities.” Unlike HIV, Chagas is not a sexually-transmitted disease: it’s “caused by parasites transmitted to humans by blood-sucking insects,’ as the New York Times put it. “It likes to bite you on the face,” CNN reported. “It’s called the kissing bug. When it ingests your blood, it excretes the parasite at the same time. When you wake up and scratch the itch, the parasite moves into the wound and you’re infected.” -Yahoo
Thoughts?
US News and several other news outlets have already responded to that article. While Chagas is no small problem, it's no HIV "Deadly Chagas affects millions and needs attention, but calling it new HIV is a publicity stunt" -U.S. News
That article is incredibly insulting to every person whose died of HIV/AIDS and who has it. To compare a disease that has a cure vs one that does not baffles me. Chagas can be treated with antiparasitics. While HIV/AIDS can be "managed" there is no cure.
Pestilence watch: Is Chagas the new HIV/AIDs of the Americas?
Posted on June 1, 2012 by The Extinction Protocol
June 1. 2012 – DISEASE – Chagas, a tropical disease spread by insects, is causing some fresh concern following an editorial—published earlier this week in a medical journal—that called it ‘the new AIDS of the Americas.” More than 8 million people have been infected by Chagas, most of them in Latin and Central America. But more than 300,000 live in the United States. The editorial, published by the Public Library of Science’s Neglected Tropical Diseases, said the spread of the disease is reminiscent of the early years of HIV. “There are a number of striking similarities between people living with Chagas disease and people living with HIV/AIDS,” the authors wrote, “particularly for those with HIV/AIDS who contracted the disease in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.” Both diseases disproportionately affect people living in poverty, both are chronic conditions requiring prolonged, expensive treatment, and as with patients in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, “most patients with Chagas disease do not have access to health care facilities.” Unlike HIV, Chagas is not a sexually-transmitted disease: it’s “caused by parasites transmitted to humans by blood-sucking insects,’ as the New York Times put it. “It likes to bite you on the face,” CNN reported. “It’s called the kissing bug. When it ingests your blood, it excretes the parasite at the same time. When you wake up and scratch the itch, the parasite moves into the wound and you’re infected.” -Yahoo
That article is incredibly insulting to every person whose died of HIV/AIDS and who has it. To compare a disease that has a cure vs one that does not baffles me. Chagas can be treated with antiparasitics. While HIV/AIDS can be "managed" there is no cure.
I don't think most who read it thought it was on par with AIDS/HIV, or at least, I didn't. The report was from Fox News. We all know that's insta-exaggeration.
I don't think most who read it thought it was on par with AIDS/HIV, or at least, I didn't. The report was from Fox News. We all know that's insta-exaggeration.
I don't think most who read it thought it was on par with AIDS/HIV, or at least, I didn't. The report was from Fox News. We all know that's insta-exaggeration.
How is this anything like HIV/AIDS? A quick run of Chagas on websites display cures for the disease but mention easy reinfection in regions where prevalence of insects is high.
Sorry again about the FOX video. I just copy pastad an article I found interesting. I guess that is Yahoo for you as well, but the diseases parasites can spread are creepy as hell if anything.
How is this anything like HIV/AIDS? A quick run of Chagas on websites display cures for the disease but mention easy reinfection in regions where prevalence of insects is high.
I dunno. The whole Fox News thing is just a joke to modern medicine. The journalist in that Fox news reports has no idea what an incubation period is. Furthermore, HIV isn't hard to detect...in the 80's it was. Its 2012... hello the advent of oral-swap-HIV test!
I can see just Fox News b/s.
Just to remind you that every couple of years "they come up" with a new disease to cause panic or make the government spend millions on a "new vaccine".
and before this the 'OMG THE END OF THE WORLD' Disease was N1H1, before that the Bird Flu, before that it was West Nile
excuse me for not really giving a crap at this point, lol
Actually had west nile before, ***wasn't too bad. But for a healthy person it isn't a huge deal. Like any flu the young and old are at risk. The media loves blowing things up, and I honestly refuse to get vaccinated.
But they need to panic the nation so the FDA and the big pharmaceutical companies can whip up a new vaccine or some other treatment and make some big bucks.
I'm not scared. HIV/AIDS, Chagas, Hepatitis, Herpes, Ghonorrhea, and HPV can all be cured by drinking a full gallon of undiluted bleach or other caustic substance.
Meanwhile, STDs are far more prevalent than some of these exotic diseases that get talked about when the media needs a story.
I guess genital worts doesn't get mouseclicks like it used to.
The problem is that STI's have a negative connotation regarding one's sexual practices, when they shouldn't, versus e.g. H1N1 is just "bad luck."
Your viewed as dirty, slutty, etc... if you get chlamydia, hpv, gonorrhea, syphilis etc...
Sad thing is I think 1/4 people have HPV. Even if you aren't a total hoebag there is a good chance you have it. It is possible to be a carrier with no symptoms at all.
Meanwhile, STDs are far more prevalent than some of these exotic diseases that get talked about when the media needs a story.
I guess genital worts doesn't get mouseclicks like it used to.
The problem is that STI's have a negative connotation regarding one's sexual practices, when they shouldn't, versus e.g. H1N1 is just "bad luck."
Your viewed as dirty, slutty, etc... if you get chlamydia, hpv, gonorrhea, syphilis etc...
Are you trying to defend people who contract STIs? That's just stupidity on their part if they don't protect themselves. I chalk them up to the same group who keep pushing out babies left and right, and simply say, "Oops!", every time it happens.
Pestilence watch: Is Chagas the new HIV/AIDs of the Americas?
Posted on June 1, 2012 by The Extinction Protocol
June 1. 2012 – DISEASE – Chagas, a tropical disease spread by insects, is causing some fresh concern following an editorial—published earlier this week in a medical journal—that called it ‘the new AIDS of the Americas.” More than 8 million people have been infected by Chagas, most of them in Latin and Central America. But more than 300,000 live in the United States. The editorial, published by the Public Library of Science’s Neglected Tropical Diseases, said the spread of the disease is reminiscent of the early years of HIV. “There are a number of striking similarities between people living with Chagas disease and people living with HIV/AIDS,” the authors wrote, “particularly for those with HIV/AIDS who contracted the disease in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.” Both diseases disproportionately affect people living in poverty, both are chronic conditions requiring prolonged, expensive treatment, and as with patients in the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, “most patients with Chagas disease do not have access to health care facilities.” Unlike HIV, Chagas is not a sexually-transmitted disease: it’s “caused by parasites transmitted to humans by blood-sucking insects,’ as the New York Times put it. “It likes to bite you on the face,” CNN reported. “It’s called the kissing bug. When it ingests your blood, it excretes the parasite at the same time. When you wake up and scratch the itch, the parasite moves into the wound and you’re infected.” -Yahoo
