War blamed for mysterious skin disease

More than 200 children in southern Iraq have been infected with a disfiguring skin disease in an outbreak that some health officials are blaming on the war's devastating effect on the nation's public-health system.
According to local officials in Iraq's southern province of Qadisiyah, who reported the outbreak to the United Nations, about 275 children have been struck with leishmaniasis, a disfiguring disease spread by sand flies.

"This is a killer disease, and we are trying to stop its spread as soon as possible," said Dr. Omer Mekki, an epidemiologist at the World Health Organization's Iraq office

and it concludes

Since the conflict began, hundreds of U.S. soldiers have also been infected and scarred by leishmaniasis.The disease was first identified in Iraq more than a century ago, but outbreaks were rare under Saddam Hussein. Since the conflict began, however, experts say the destroyed health system has allowed lurking viruses to return.

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Can war itself cause disease?

Of course war can cause disease. Think "seige".

I will tell you, if you are in a city and i am laying seige to it, i am going to make sure i put as much biological filth into the rivers upstream from your location. I may be willing to dig a well to access your water supply.

When animals and people die, they will be catapulted back into your city. The more "ripe", the better.

I may even dig a deep pit, filled with feces covered spikes. The feces will be one of the more deadly aspects of your impalement, means to ensure that you don't survive.

Of course war causes disease.


Do you know any Gulf War vets? Gulf War Syndrome?

How about the Vietnam Vets who would pull of layers of skin with their socks after marching through the swamps?

Finding ways to spread disease is a part of war.