This is getting close to home...Watch out to David

[weatherwunder]

TOPEKA, Kan. — State health officials said Monday that a northeast Kansas woman likely has the state's first case of monkeypox (search) among humans or animals.


"We're fairly confident that she has monkeypox," said Sharon Watson, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (search).

It would be the first confirmed case of monkeypox outside of Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, where four residents in each state have contracted the disease.

Watson said the Kansas woman was bitten by a prairie dog (search) around June 1 while visiting a Missouri resident. The prairie dog is still alive and not showing signs of monkeypox.

However, a second prairie dog in the same household died.

The Kansas woman, who was not identified by age or hometown, became ill June 10 and was hospitalized June 15. Watson said the woman was in fair condition and not expected to remain hospitalized much longer.

Hospitals statewide were told to contact the KDHE if they detected any cases of monkeypox.

Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, KDHE's state epidemiologist, said in a statement that officials were contacting persons who may have been exposed to the woman about getting the smallpox vaccine as a precaution.

Monkeypox, a west African disease not previously seen in the Western Hemisphere, is related to smallpox but is not as lethal. It causes rashes, chills and fever.

"While the disease can be spread from person to person, it is much less infectious than smallpox," said Dr. Gail Hansen, KDHE chief veterinarian.

Federal health officials believe the disease was introduced when prairie dogs at a Phil's Pocket Pets in Villa Park, Ill., came in contact with a giant Gambian rat (search). As of Monday, 12 people have been confirmed to have monkeypox, while more than 70 human cases have been suspected. No one has died from the outbreak.

State health officials said last week that some of the prairie dogs at Phil's Pocket Pets originally were sold by an animal dealer in Meade, in southwest Kansas. The animals were not infected while they were in Kansas, but state and federal officials have banned the sale or transportation of prairie dogs as a precaution.

KDHE has urged Kansans to avoid contact with wild animals in general, and prairie dogs in particular. The animals, which can weigh more than 1 pound, are plentiful throughout Kansas and Midwestern states.

No cases of monkeypox have been reported in Kansas prairie dog populations, either wild or in captivity.

[pojo]

Try living in Wisconsin...its EVERYWHERE on the news...top stories, live reports, health department visits!!!

[weatherwunder]

I am sure Shannon. I can only imagine. The big news around here is what we can expect from the Cornhuskers this year. LOL

[David]

Yep. Heard this on the news. Goodie for me!!!

[David]

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/061703/ ... ypox.shtml

[pojo]

How many links do you want?

All the news stations have plenty of stories, the newspapers, etc.

This link basically sums everything up. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jun0 ... ource=tmj4

[David]

It's official!!!! MonkeyPox in Kansas!

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/061703/ ... ypox.shtml

[wx247]

Yeesh! I heard that someone is Missouri was suspected of having it but never heard anymore. I bet it gets old Shannon!

[David]

I think the person in KS was friends with the Missourian, and he has a prarie dog. Sigh...