Leprosy outbreak in Arkansas

[NellieBly]

This is scary



SPRINGDALE - The medical community is warning the public: a leprosy outbreak in Springdale could blossom into an epidemic, if something isn't done soon.

Doctors say at least nine cases of leprosy have been confirmed in Springdale.  Local doctors say they would be shocked by even one case of leprosy in their entire career, so they say something must be done soon, in order to stop leprosy's spread.

Springdale MD Jennifer Bingham says, "my initial response was: I am shocked. I am shocked we are seeing this. It's a true reason to be very worried."

Medical specialists say the Marshall Islands have the most cases of leprosy, in the world. And the city with the largest number of Marshallese people, outside the Marshall islands, is Springdale. And Bingham says, it makes sense, then, that leprosy is spreading to the city. "It's from the Marshall islands; that's why we're seeing it."

Bingham says she is all for Marshallese people entering the United States, after proper medical tests. But whether they're immigrants or not, she says people must stick to treatment, when infected. And she says, when she treats those from the Marshall Islands, this doesn't happen. "We're not getting the compliance that is absolutely essential to take care of this process."

Bingham says without cooperation, leprosy, which has no vaccine, and is transmitted through the air, will spread, and could easily become an epidemic. "People absolutely should be concerned. What I'm afraid of, is when people start thinking about it enough, it will already be out of control."

So now, Bingham, and others like Mayoral candidate Nancy Jenkins, say government help is the next step. Jenkins says she's angered the federal government has been so lax with border patrol. She says, "We've just opened the borders and said, 'Come on in! Bring your diseases! Bring 'em!' Why are we doing that? Those who have it need to be quarantined and treated, or sent back to their country."

Dr. Bingham is requesting the public take action, and write everyone from legislators, and presidential candidates, to Congress, and the Health Department. Shey says, "the only way to truly protect our community and our economic growth, is to think of this as a very important, panic-mode attempt to treat leprosy: before it gets out of hand."

Doctors say leprosy will appear as a discoloration, or nodules, on the skin, especially the fingers, toes, arms, and face. With treatment, it is curable, but it can take from six months, to two years, to completely disappear.

Springdale is also reporting over 100 cases of tuberculosis.

We want to know what you think about the threat of leprosy in our area.  Click here and leave your comments.

[Breadburner]

It's no suprise with all the illegals that have flocked there......They come all the way from the Marshall Islands to work in that area....

[FOTD]

Scary is something this devil can stay away from....I tried to find news on this and could not. A 6500 seat baseball stadium and double A ball club are coming there....please post a link.

No fear. It's all that chicken poop and chemicals reversing themselves from the earth. (uh, we are talking about Wal Mart country and not Utah or some other state?)

I sense the messiah is approaching.....(how many light years away, I am not certain.)

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by FOTD

Scary is something this devil can stay away from....I tried to find news on this and could not. A 6500 seat baseball stadium and double A ball club are coming there....please post a link.

No fear. It's all that chicken poop and chemicals reversing themselves from the earth. (uh, we are talking about Wal Mart country and not Utah or some other state?)

I sense the messiah is approaching.....(how many light years away, I am not certain.)

Keep that head of yours in the sand.....

[cannon_fodder]

Overall AOX, the most incoherent post of the year.  

[safetyguy]

Sing it... Leprosy all my skin is falling off of me.....

It's not funny about the outbreak, but someone taught me that stupid song years ago when I was in high school and it has stuck with me.

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by safetyguy

Sing it... Leprosy all my skin is falling off of me.....

It's not funny about the outbreak, but someone taught me that stupid song years ago when I was in high school and it has stuck with me.

What about Great Green Gobs of Greasy Grimey Gopher Guts.........

[Breadburner]

Rumor verified on the innerweb...And Just as I suspected....

[grahambino]

they still sending lepers to molokai?

free trip to hawaii!
[8D]

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

Overall AOX, the most incoherent post of the year.  

The devil forgot that the comment must be spelled out more precisely. He's sorry.[B)]

Mursa?

[waterboy]

So is it real or not?

[PonderInc]

The Arkansas Dept of Health says NO.  Here's their press release.
http://www.healthyarkansas.com/news/pr_tb_020808.html

The whole thing sounds like an urban myth to me.  It mentions two places that nobody knows anything about (the Marshall Islands and Springdale, AR), and then adds some terrifying bit of semi-plausible "information."  I didn't see the topic covered by ANY reputable news organization on the web.

I'm pretty sure the Marshall Islands were a US Territory until just a few years ago.  (And we still enjoy doing missile testing there, I believe...)  This was probably started by some ARK xenaphobe, who doesn't like a few Marshall Islanders immigrating to hillbilly country.

[FOTD]

We'll change your moniker to Scopes II, Ponder.

Good job.

NellieBly, please do some homework next time.
You could start an epidemic....

[Wingnut]

quote: It's all that chicken poop and chemicals reversing themselves from the earth

There's just too many armadillos over there.

[brunoflipper]

if it were true, it might well be from some south of the border immigrants... but, it would be these non-natives...





http://svm369.vetmed.lsu.edu/truman2.htm


dammit, wingnut beat me to it... i gotta check the boards more often...