Old virus causing new disease in United States

[KamaAina]

Scary enough as it is -- but there's a hook...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071012/hl_nm/virus_test_dc

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A strain of virus best known for causing colds and "stomach flu" is becoming more common and more dangerous, U.S. researchers report.

They said that adenovirus 21 was surprisingly common and was causing an unexpected level of severe disease and deaths....

Adenovirus 21 was found in 1 percent of specimens in 2004, but in 2.4 percent in 2006. And it was making people much sicker than the other strains, killing 50 percent of bone marrow transplant patients, for instance.

These patients are at extra risk from infections as their entire immune systems are destroyed before they get transplants of new bone marrow tissue.

Eurghh. Adenovirus... compromised immune system... Stacey?! :cry:

edit: excised extraneous crap from link

[cutlassmama]

1. I've had that before. It was around 20 years ago.