Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site phs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!duke!phs!paul From: paul@phs.UUCP (Paul C. Dolber) Newsgroups: net.followup,net.med Subject: Re: Viral infections (San Joaquin Valley Fever). Message-ID: <1040@phs.UUCP> Date: Tue, 20-Aug-85 12:31:39 EDT Article-I.D.: phs.1040 Posted: Tue Aug 20 12:31:39 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 02:55:17 EDT References: <191@tekig5.UUCP> <314@kitty.UUCP> <221@aoa.UUCP>, <1091@ames.UUCP> Organization: Dept. Physiol., DUMC Lines: 20 Keywords: biological warfare Xref: watmath net.followup:5218 net.med:2133 Eugene Miya (ames!eugene) recently wrote in net.followup regarding the creation of racially-specific microorganisms: A couple of books on the subject, one by a USA Col. and the other by Robin Cook on Biological warfare mention racially specific characteristics [in particular, cocc.*: aka San J. Valley Fever, a fungus]... No need to create new germs anew when many exist already. Coccidiodomycosis (aka "valley fever" or "San Joaquin [Valley] fever") is indeed a fungal infection, acquired by inhalation of Coccidioides immitis (in dust, esp. in SW USA and Chaco district of Argentina). May be benign or disseminated. Approx. 50% of benign cases are asymptomatic. Remainder have flu-like symptoms. In 0.05-0.2% of cases, disseminated form occurs. Dark-skinned persons and pregnant women are more vulnerable. 85-90% of blacks and Filipinos w/disseminated form die, versus 50% of Caucasians. Even those with disseminated form may survive for several years. Think you'd better create a new one if you're after a good racially-specific biological warfare agent. Facts above from "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 8th Ed." and Robbins' "Pathologic Basis of Disease." Regards, Paul Dolber (...duke!phs!paul).