Outbreak of rare, cancer-causing blood virus in Canada

Nunavut health officials have begun a territory-wide search for people infected with a rare cancer-causing blood virus after discovering an outbreak of HTLV-1.

"Nobody knows" how widespread the infection is, said Dr. Isaac Sobol, Nunavut's chief medical officer of health. "So far, we've identified several people - less than 20 - who test positive." HTLV-1 is a retrovirus in the same family as HIV, the virus believed to cause AIDS.

The vast majority of people infected with HTLV-1 show no symptoms, said Dr. Sobol.

But for about five per cent of those infected, the virus can cause degenerative nerve disease leading to loss of control of the legs and bladder. It can also cause blood cancers including leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

news.yahoo.com...

I could see this getting way out of hand in the north. What is scary is how silent a killer it is.

There is no cure for HTLV-1 infection. Symptoms take between 10 and 20 years to appear.

Its quite rare in Canada, but I guess its pretty bad in other parts of the world.

HTLV-1 is so rare in Canada that it's not a reportable disease in many jurisdictions, said Health Canada spokesman Julian Beltrame.

..

The virus, however, is endemic in other parts of the world, including Southern Japan, the Caribbean, Papua New Guinea and some parts of Africa.

While not related, I just heard on the news that there is a mystery illness that has killed 4 in Canada (I did not hear where, but I will assume it was Toronto because thats where the conference was)

They do not know what is is (its not sars, avian flu etc)

Maybe someone can find a link about it.

680 News is reporting 4 CASES of ISOLATION in Scarborough Grace Hospital, it was first reported as a QUARENTINE NOT DEATHS...

If I hear more I will post but I think the DEATHS are a myth so far anyways..

First thing that came to mind after reading this thread......

last night I was reading a thread concerning the melting ice pack in the Arctic

I cant seem to find it at the moment

Anyway one post suggested the idea of ancient viruses being released that had lain hidden for thousands or even millions of years, some of which modern day doctors would have no idea of handling and which we would have no resistance to.

Another post told of the loss of ice that is happening in Canada also

just a thought to put your mind at ease

seems like a funny coincidence........

oh, did I mention that I dont believe in coincidences

Originally posted by like2learn
680 News is reporting 4 CASES of ISOLATION in Scarborough Grace Hospital, it was first reported as a QUARENTINE NOT DEATHS...

If I hear more I will post but I think the DEATHS are a myth so far anyways..

I think this was in a toronto ? nursing home. I know it was in a nursing home though.

All I can say is...EEEEEEK

Found that nursing home link

news.yahoo.com...;_ylt=Au.mMWSi2ej6Jb77M4hyVOwf1L0F;_ylu=X3o'___'A3OWI1ZGNqBHNlYwM3Mzc-
sorry for the long @$$ link, stupid yahoo

Yep, this is concerning what I mentioned before.

Two more residents of an Toronto nursing home died Monday after a "garden variety" outbreak of a mysterious illness that has claimed a total of six lives and whose origins and precise nature may never be known, health officials say.

[url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20051003/ca_pr_on_na/seniors_dead;_ylt=AkRvnqsuFdJNDTByizIGoZeFM1IB;_ylu=X3o'___'BiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl]Link[/ url]

Hey. Good one. Missed it.

FYI - we've got microbes mutating all over into brand new diseases.

Interesting that this one is related to AIDS and is centred in Nunavit. Hmmm.