DISCOVER BODYTALK THE FUTURE OF ENERGY MEDICINE
THE CDC RECOMMENDS
TESTING HEP C VIRUS ON ALL "BABY BOOMERS." - DR. HIEBERT
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DR. MARK D. VINTON, SPECIALIST AT BOZEMAN DEACONESS HOSPITAL, REPORTS ON THE STATUS OF COMMONLY KNOWN INFECTIOUS DISEASES IN MONTANA
HEPATITIS C IS BIG IN THE NEWS: Everyone born between 1945- 1965 should have a test because the virus has no symptoms. It is not routinely found on blood tests, so we have to do the Hepatitis C blood test to find it. If left untreated, it can munch away on your liver causing liver failure, or liver cancer. It is also now treatable — we can clear the virus in 75- 90% of cases.
HIV IS STILL AROUND. About 20% of folks who have it don't know it. It's a good idea to get tested. There are very good medica- tions these days, it's not a death sentence any more.
PERTUSSIS (OR WHOOPING COUGH) HAS CAUSED DEATHS IN WASHINGTON AND CALIFORNIA. We have seen this in our schools. The vac- cine from childhood wears off, and there is a big risk among high school students now, unless they get a booster vaccine. The high school kids and adults don't get the characteristic "whoop" to the cough — it's just a bad, dry cough that lasts about three months untreated. The bad news is that it can kill infants, who are too young for the vaccine.
HANTA VIRUS IS UNCOMMON IN MT. The safe thing to do when cleaning up after mice droppings is to use a spray bleach product first to avoid getting the dust into the air and to use a good mask if there is dust — a mask rated N95 will work. Symptoms of Hanta virus are sneaky though — fever, dry cough, muscle aches like the flu. If this happens after clean- ing mouse droppings (by about three weeks), you should be seen and tested.
RABIES IS STILL AROUND. Make sure your cats and dogs are vac- cinated. Dogs are family in Montana, and they run free while we hike and bike. It is important to make sure your pet stays healthy for everyone's sake. We have bat rabies and skunk rabies in the state. The rabies vaccine for people is now four shots in the arm. As a kid I remember it being 28 shots in the belly. Those days are long gone, thank goodness.
DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL
David Quammen talks about Spillover. Go to:
www.distinctlymontana.com/spillover131 68 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • WINTER 2013
