Eradication
 

The threads about the WHO's (World Health Orginization) preoccupation with smoking got me thinking. So I pose a question to the smartest people I know; my board buddies!

Anyone know of any disease being cured, wiped out completely, no longer a threat, or whatever on this planet?

I mean gone. No longer exists on the planet?

I'll do some research of my own as well.

It just twists me up that something like smoking is that big of an issue. Aren't there bigger problems/diseases/viruses/bacteria out there?

For example herpes has an entire family of stuff it can get you with. And dysentary and diarhea continue to ravage the third world. Where's the vaccine for that?

We have stores with ailses and ailses of stuff to take for a cold. Even stores that specialize in these rememdies. (CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens, etc.).

Just bouncing that off everyone. All coments welcome.
Yes, even the ones that prove me wrong.:)

:Good-Post:Moose I Though Polio at first,But I do believe I'm wrong on that great question Moose real though pervoking.

I think Polio has been wiped out, but there are always rare exceptions and there is a recurrence of Polio symptoms for some who have had it.

I honestly do not think that Ciggy smoking is the direct cause of any disease, but probably does aggrivate and speed up any illness. Of course, doing or ingestinging anything to excess can and does cause disease.

I have smoked a pack (give or take) a day for over 40 years and have had no ill effects, at all. On the other hand, My Mother smoked for over 40 yrs and had mild emphizema and died at 78 of lung cancer. However, my DIL, who never smoked a Cig in her life, died at 36 of lung cancer.

Thanks MR for bringing this up.:cool:

Survivor is starting:trampoline:

This is is good thread, would love to join this chat tomorrow!

Night!

:hug::hug:

Thank you Sally. And I'm sorry for your losses.
They do bring up another interesting thought though.

Our individual physiology.

What I may be immune to, can make some else sick as a dog. And vice versa.
Maybe that's part of the problem.:confused:

I was reading up on my original thread subject months ago. Just hitting different sites and trying to piece it together. My understanding is the bubonic plauge/Blach Death that ripped through Asia and Europe in the Middle Ages is still out there. Treatable if caught early, death if not. And I know from reading my ex's text books that viruses show signs of both being 'dead' and 'alive' at the same time, and are very resilient and opportunistic.

OK. Gotta take a break. Moose used too many big words all at once.

Smallpox.

It's no longer out in the "wild" (running rampant thru the world) The only bit of known smallpox virus, I think, is stored somewhere in the U.S, in Utah, I think, and somewhere in Russia.

So far, smallpox is the only disease to have been eradicated from the planet by humans.

They kept those samples just in case it did reappear again so they could re-vaccinate people. (my aunt is the one who does the smallpox vaccinations for her hospital. She had to get the vaccine in 2003)

i think there were some isolated reports of people getting mild cases of smallpox from someone who's been newly vaccinated, but other than that, it's essentially gone.

Polio is still around. But, they're getting closer to eradicating it like they did with smallpox.

What about Beubonic Plague?

Alright, I only thought that one up 'cos Erin beat me to Smallpox. :D

Edit :

I just Googled Beubonic Plague, and it's not extinct......... Rats!

Y Pestis (Yersinia Pestis aka the bubonic plague) is still around, yes...and yes, rats do carry it.

One of my favorite tv shows used it as a plot device a few years ago. (NCIS, they gave it to Tony DiNozzo, in the episode just before they killed off Caitlin Todd)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080115/...ague_threat_dc

Here's the plague article you may be thinking of :)

I believe that unless there is a real cure, then there is no true understanding to what truly causes a disease. There may be trigger factors...but like we've all seen....some smokers get ill, others do not. Isn't air pollution a bigger factor? Why does one person get MS, and the other does not....

While I'm at it...I'm really upset with one of the most recent tv campaigns and the guy mentions lesions on his deceased wifes brain...Hello! I have brain lesions!!! It freaks me out ALL the time!!!

I have two spinal lesions (at the last count) and they freak me out a lot too...especially when my back or neck hurt. (especially the neck...one of the lesions is at C4)

I'm totally creeped out about the spinal lesions...as far as I know, I dont have any brain lesions yet...at least not any obvious ones. (told me I had little white dots, but that they're not "typical" of MS)

Thanks for that....It's scary stuff! :(

Yep, smallpox is the only one so far.

And the thing is the virus' are mutating all the time so we're finding new diseases.

And with air travel this stuff spreads more easily than it was previously able to.

PBS had a program about the WHO sending out ppl to 3rd world villages and trying to get them innoculated for polio and the trouble they had at first b/c the ppl didn't want their children taking the vaccine. Which I don't blame them. Who wants strangers coming to your town and giving your children a drug you have no idea what it is.

Very interesting topic.

The thing about cigarettes is that they can cause so many preventable conditions. I think the focus is that this would be a very easy way to decrease many of these cancers, respiratory, circulatory problems, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I loved smoking more than eating and if I thought I would be one of the lucky ones that could smoke for 60 years and be fine I'd be puffing right now but the odds aren't in favor of that so I quit, hopefully for the last time.

Its interesting to me that it is "socially acceptable" in our politically correct climate to be nasty to smokers but something also preventable like obesity is fluffed over. It should be getting more attention and it looks like there is a shift but not enough, imo. Being overweight causes so many health issues that are largely preventable. I just don't get it but then again food was never my thing.

In the USA malaria, polio and smallpox seem to be knocked out, BUT once in awhile they rear their ugly heads and in 3rd world countries with poor immunization and clean waters/sewage programs,are not so eraticated. Think you can find a disease somewhere if you really look. Let's all give a hurray that US is pretty good!!!

Boy, your'e making us THINK, aren't ya Moose??

I get what your'e saying. I wonder if it's all really just "in the Cards" for us. I know two people who had the exact same CA DX. One is alive today; the other lived a matter of months.

My Mom smoked for 30 some yrs, gave it up and passed away 12 yrs later from lung CA and multiple myeloma. I don't know. We may never know the what if's or why's that we all seek. I've never been a smoker, so can't claim to know the effects of that other than my Mom's health issues.

I think there must be a plan for all of us.

Gee, I'm thinking way too hard this morn. Thanks Moose!!! :hug:

Like I said, I do see your point. My DH always says there's alot of people in their 80-90's out there still drinking and smoked non filter cigs all their life, plus grew up eating LARD in everything.. Mind boggling.

I watched a segment awhile ago (can't remember exactly when it was) on a news show with a woman who was either 100 years old or very close to it.

Anyway, she still lived and functioned all on her own. They asked her her secret to long life and she said cigs and bourbon. I love this lady!!!:D

See what I come up with when you make me think too hard first thing in the morning Moose? Kinda scarey isn't it?:wink:

Leprosy?!!
 

http://www.kfsm.com/Global/story.asp?S=7841296

Just saw this article and thoughts about this discussion. Immigrants are bringing all kinds of diseases into our country. Another reason for better border control! :mad:

I agree that we are all predisposed to illness and disease. Some can drink and smoke well into their ninties while others die in their forties for the same reason. Genetics play a vital role in how this comes to be in each of us. Our bodies were made to die, and something has to kill each of us. Sad but true.

I do believe there are things we can do to prolong our lives, but when disease finds its way into our bodies, all we are left with is the fight to survive, some succeed where others don't. Why this is true I don't know....but those who do bring hope to those newly afflicted.

I also did a search about eradication, and found only small pox. I was surprised to see leparcy still raging in the world!! AIDS has to be the biggest threat right now in third world countries and I just don't know how we can kill off a disease that is transmitted sexually. It's human nature to enjoy this gift.

Thanks for such a great thread moose!

Unlike the over-indulgers of today, they probably drank and smoked all their lives, in MODERATION.:p

I smoke in moderation. Even though I go through a pack per day, I only inhale lightly and sometimes, like now, when I have a cold, I don't inhale at all....Just call me Clinton..LOL

So sorry about your Mommy, DM..:hug:

Thank you all for responing so far. Each post brought an insightful and valid point to the table.

This is something that has been rolling around in my head for years, i.e. where are the cures? I like being able to see all the angles of attack and be part of a great debate/conversation.

I'l throw this out as well: It's much more profitable to treat a disease, than cure it. Many comedians and even us regular Joes have pointed out the side effects of most drugs are worse than the original problem. "Possible explosive diahrea, hallucinations and flea infestation??? That's OK. I'll just live with it". At the same time I realize that even if we were part of a completely honest society, there's only so much we can do.

Pharmacueticals (sp) are BIG business. And the barage of commercials on TV with the smiling faces that politely and calmly remind you of possible side effects... No better than the hood pushing his dope on the corner.

I guess I'm just in awe of something so small, (microscopic) can do so much damage on an individual and even on a world wide level.

And how we can't seem to keep up.

I used to do inbound telemarketing. I was one of the people who answered the phone when you called about any Ronco product, Time Life music sets, or if you wanted information about Valtrex, toenail fungus meds, Imitrex for migraines and a lot of other stuff.

I read those disclosures so many times I still have them memorized and I havent done telemarketing for over 7yrs now. I get migraines, but everytime I read the disclosure about Imitrex and the heart problems that it might cause, I always told myself, I'll just live with the migraines. I still have never tried Imitrex even tho my migraines have worsened. (I take Midrin instead)

I think the drug companies put out the commercials, so they can convince people they have this horrible problem by having a bunch of guys sing a knock off of an Elvis song, just so they can get doctors to give people these medications to fix whatever ails them with one of their pills.

You should see all the free crap my aunt and my dad bring home from the drug companies pimping their drugs at the hospitals that my dad and aunt work at. (my aunt probably has about 50 different items that have the word Viagra plastered all over it) I used to use pens with the names of drugs all over them in grade school. I could always tell when someone stole my pen because I was one of the few kids who used a pen that said "Simvastatin", or "Lasix" on it.

My dad just gave me a flashlight keychain and a notebook that's advertising some antihistamine on it. The drug companies really want doctors to use this stuff, and they'll give the doctors all sorts of trinkets to bribe them into using their drug-du jour.

Call me an optimist, but I truly believe that if a cure could be found, one would be. And that goes for any disease. Imagine the ego boost of doing so, never mind the money and awards to follow.

Recently I watched a documentary about the epigenome. I had to wonder if this field of study would lead to some answers about ms as well as a lot of other things.

The epigenome best as I can say it means this....

We are affected by what happened to out grandparents when their reproductive cells were fornming, men by therir grandfathers, women by their granmothers. So, what circumstances surrounded grandma while she was in the womb would tell a lot about the furure possibilities of a woman's health.

Likewise, when grampa was prepubescent, his lifestyle would determine a lot of the outcome for his grandsons.


Boys who had more than plenty to eat were found to later become grandfathers to boys with 3x as high a rate for diabetes, for example.

Grandmothers born in times of famine had grandaughters who tended to have shortened lifespans.

Maybe ms is not about what disease we had that triggered it, but what the grandparents were subjected to. Something to think about.

And maybe whether we're too heavy, or how smoking affects us can be linked to them too. It's not just whether they had the same problem, but what happened to them in the womb or early life.

Mine were all born in New Jersey, so either I don't stand a chance or I'm immune to most toxic chemicals.

:winky: