June 17
Hundreds of Victorians each year are contracting a virulent flesh-eating bug described by scientists as "the most dangerous in the world".

More than 300 Victorians fell victim to the invasive 'A' streptococcal disease during a two-year period of a study and 25 of them died.

Australian streptococcal expert Prof Jonathon Carapetis, who led the study, said people in Victoria were not being protected against the spread of the bacteria.

"There is a strong case that people who come in contact with streptococcal patients are at risk," he said.

"They should be given antibiotics to prevent contracting the nasty bug, as is done with those who come in contact with meningococcal - and they are not.

The disease particularly affects children under five, pregnant women and the elderly.

Prof Carapetis said the Victorian health department needed to make it a notifiable disease because Victorians were at risk.

Of the 25 victims, five died from necrotising fasciitis (flesh-eating disease) caused by the streptococcal bacteria and 11 died from toxic shock because of overwhelming infection.
go

Oh god, I'm in Victoria and I'm sick as a dog I may not be under five, pregnant, or old, but I am now paranoid and going doctor first thing in the morning...

i apologize for the forthcoming crude comment, but what a fitting avatar you have for you're post.

didn't even occur to me, but it definitely captures how I'm feeling at the moment

Score!

The same thought went through my mind as well, but you beat me too it.

Oh geez. >.<

I hope they kill the virus soon.

n_a_t_a_l_i_e, be careful in your city/town.

Kill it!?! Murderer!

Panic!

But on the bright side, if you get it, we can all say we know someone who has the flesh-eating disease.

It's all good, I got my anti-biotics. I've thwarted the flesh eating virus this year



Yes... bright side...

Ok. :3

A friend of mine had a daughter who died from flesh eatung disease, she was only 19 and had a baby girl who is now being raised by her grandmother, three times my friend took her to emerg. and three times they sent her home saying it was a minor infection complicated by the flu and high fever but that she didn,t need to be in the hospital, she was told to go home , drink fluids and rest , the next day she was dead! my friend , thinks she was discriminated against because they are native! would her illness have been taken more seriously if she had been white? i wonder because this girl was visibly in bad shape and i know they have admitted me into hospital when i wasn,t nearly as sick as she was!

Oh swtp, that is horrible!

Sometimes, people make me ashamed of being human.

My great-aunt caught golden staff (another air-born infection) from a Victorian Hospital whilst having surgery, she died last week from complications.
I dont care what anyone says hospitals are dirty places. Full of sick people (obvoiusly)

I don't find that funny at all. It's a nightmare.

You need to clarify the title. Its NOT a virus, its a bacterium.... completly different species. The problem is that this is basically a pretty benign bacterium that has acquired immunity to a broad range of antibioics due mainly to misuse by both patients and the agricultural industry. When you pump out antibiotics indiscriminately in sub lethal (to bacteria) doses, that is a tailor made mechanism for promoting resistance

I saw a documentary on Phage therapy it is using the bateria's own natural enemies to combat them. This could truly help.
They showed an American who could not be treated who went to Georgia for treatment where the bateria could be treated using phage therapy.

It took 18 week but he was finally released. In America he would have died. (Those clever Russians)
In my home country people with XRTB(Resistant TB are being quarantined but they escape and have to be captured again along with anyone they have infected)

Well, don't go swimming in Tasmania.

Part of the North Esk River in northern Tasmania has been closed to the public after high levels of bacteria were discovered during routine testing. The Tasmanian Laboratory Service advised the Launceston City Council yesterday that samples taken last week had failed to meet state water quality guidelines. Council officers immediately put up signs advising the public that the North Esk at the St Leonards picnic ground is closed for recreational activities such as swimming until further notice. The Council's Manager of Environmental Services, James Doherty, says the council has taken more samples and expects results early next week. "The counts aren't actually that high, but they're sort of high enough to sound alarm bells, but they're not high enough to make anyone sick in that short period of time," he said. Mr Doherty says anyone who has swum near the St Leonard's picnic area this week should watch out for nausea and other signs of ill-health.)

Not to sound too pessimistic, here, but:

A bull has died from anthrax on a property at Stanhope, in Victoria's Goulburn Valley. The Department of Primary Industries says the animal was from a farm that was affected by last February's [2007] anthrax outbreak, when 37 cattle died. The property has been isolated and cattle on neighbouring properties were vaccinated at the weekend.)

And then there is:

ONE person has died and three more are fighting for their lives in intensive care after contracting melioidosis in the Top End. A further seven people have been diagnosed with the tropical killer disease this wet season _ but have since been treated. One case involved a visitor who developed the disease after returning to their home interstate. No children have been affected. The NT Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS) would not give the circumstances surrounding the death from the disease. All the department would say is that there had been cases "all over the Territory", including Darwin and Katherine and in remote areas. And DHCS Centre for Disease Control director Vicki Krause yesterday warned more people could fall victim to the disease before April. "This is a serious disease - every year we have people dying from melioidosis," she said. "We just want people to be reasonable and know they live in an environment where this bacteria is in the soil, particularly after rains."

Melioidosis is caused by the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. It killed five people in the Territory during the last Wet, and more than 30 cases were reported. Dr Krause said the bacteria lives below the soil's surface during the dry season but after heavy rainfall can be found in surface water and mud. She said it can also become airborne - and people are more at risk after cyclonic weather. There was widespread flooding in Darwin last week after the NT capital recorded its fifth highest ever rainfall since records were kept. It came a week after Cyclone Helen.

Melioidosis can enter the body through small cuts in the skin. It can also be contracted through inhalation of dust, droplets or swallowing contaminated water. People with diabetes, alcoholism and kidney or lung disease are at more risk. Symptoms include skin ulcers or sores, fevers, weight loss, fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, and, occasionally, neurological problems, such as headache and confusion. The incubation period for acute disease can range from one to 21 days. Dr Krause urged people to wear protective clothing if working in the garden or in muddy or wet areas. Anyone who has symptoms should visit their GP.)

There's a couple of these:

1. The Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) is sending extra rescue boats to the south-western town of Charleville ahead of predicted flooding later tonight. Flooding in Bradley's Gully, which runs through the town's centre, forced the evacuation of a dozen homes, six businesses and a caravan park this morning. Some residents were moved to emergency accommodation in the town's showgrounds this afternoon. SES spokesman John Hall says crews are preparing for more flooding as rain continues tonight. "In preparation, we're sending extra flood boats from Clifton and Goondiwindi into Charleville by road tonight," he said. "They will join the other three flood boats which are already in Charleville, which will be ready to be deployed across the weekend if necessary." Four SES crew members will be on standby for the next 12 hours to check on properties along the Warrego River. The SES says the flooding has closed all main roads west of Charleville, including the road to Quilpie and the road to Adavale. The Mitchell Highway has been cut off in two places south of the town and localised flooding has reached 400 millimetres in some parts of the Warrego Highway to the east. )

2. Evacuations have begun in Central Queensland as floodwaters continue to rise in Emerald. Fifty residents along the Nogoa River have been advised to leave their homes tonight with fears their houses may be inundated. Acting Emerald Mayor Kerry Hayes says more evacuations are expected tomorrow. "We're also sending out a second letter to a large group of people located ... between the river and the Gregory Highway, which may include up to 200 to 300 households," he said. "They will be sent a letter of a precautionary nature, just advising that perhaps with some change there'll be a need to move those people in the morning."The Nogoa, which runs through Emerald, is predicted to break the 1980 record when it peaks at 14 metres tomorrow afternoon. Emergency Mangement's regional director Shane Wood says he has been in close contact with the weather bureau and the hydrologists who work at the Fairbairn Dam, which flows into the Nogoa. He says the dam is overflowing for the first time in 17 years, and the water coming over the spillway is more than 2.5 metres high. It is also expected to rise to a new record. "We're expecting the river to peak at 14 metres at the causeway going into town and that relates to the three metres over the Fairbairn Dam spillway," Mr Wood said. He says unlike in Charleville, levees have not been built, because the Nogoa's banks already have a long steep incline.)

That's all.

Natalie, go to the doctor!

Oh, 5 days too late.

How is everything Natalie?

You beautiful people down under need to be aware that there are signs of activity around you that are very alarming such as:

Fifteen pilot whales died in beach strandings Wednesday in southern New Zealand while rescuers refloated another 15 and monitored their progress toward safer waters, conservation officials said. The whales — which ranged in size from calves to 6 meters (20 feet) long — were found beached at two locations on Farewell Spit on New Zealand's South Island, Conservation Department ranger Nigel Mountfort said. Fifteen of the whales were dead when discovered. Rescuers helped refloat the remaining 15, but they were not out of danger yet because they remained in a tidal area where they risked beaching themselves again, Mountford said. A conservation worker was sent aboard a plane to monitor the bay for whales at risk of further stranding, he said. Scientists are unable to explain why whales strand, but some believe it is caused by disorientation in their sonar sounding systems.)