Rinderpest eradicated!

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 01:42 AM

Cattle plague - rinderpest, eradicated for good

Originally Posted by Ananya Mandal

As welcome news, world farm monitors on Wednesday declared a cattle-killing virus that has been a curse through the ages as eradicated. This is the first time an animal disease has been eradicated in human history. The global watchdog for farm-animal trade approved a report certifying that the last 14 countries of the world were free of rinderpest, also called cattle plague.

“It's a historic moment,” said Bernard Vallat, director-general of the OIE, the Paris-based agency which oversees veterinary health among international trade in farm animals. “The world is free of rinderpest, its virus no longer circulates among animals… A sword of Damocles that has been hanging over all our heads has now been lifted,” he said.

Ann Tutwiler, deputy director general of the FAO, said eradication massively boosted the fight against hunger and malnutrition, a problem expected to worsen through population growth and climate change. “We have a tremendous success that we can count today. It's a success that's born of cooperation, collaboration and partnership and most particularly knowledge,” she said.

Now there's one species eradication I for one will not be mourning.

Rolfe.

Puppycow · 9th June 2011, 02:01 AM

Excellent news.

Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet.

learner · 9th June 2011, 02:23 AM

God will be angry. It was one of his creations after all.

MRC_Hans · 9th June 2011, 02:29 AM

That sounds good, although I suppose we never know if there is some left somewhere.

Hans

Darat · 9th June 2011, 02:34 AM

I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest". I was living in Nigeria during an epidemic of rinderpest, early 80s if I recall correctly, it devastated the cattle, which lead to starvation for many subsistence farmers and many farmers went out of business. And of course that had a huge impact on the entire economy of the country. Having seen the consequences of this pest close up I'm glad to hear its finally been eradicated.

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 02:48 AM

Originally Posted by MRC_Hans

That sounds good, although I suppose we never know if there is some left somewhere.

Serological surveys tend to give a decent indication of residual pathogen presence.

Rolfe.

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 02:49 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest". I was living in Nigeria during an epidemic of rinderpest, early 80s if I recall correctly, it devastated the cattle, which lead to starvation for many subsistence farmers and many farmers went out of business. And of course that had a huge impact on the entire economy of the country. Having seen the consequences of this pest close up I'm glad to hear its finally been eradicated.

Ah, I see what you mean. Pest as in plague. La Peste and all that. "Rinderpest" literally translates as "cattle plague".

Rolfe.

MRC_Hans · 9th June 2011, 03:15 AM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

Serological surveys tend to give a decent indication of residual pathogen presence.

Rolfe.

Here's to that, then

. I just seem to remember that smallpox did re-emerge a couple of times after the first announcement of its eradication. But with all the vaccination, I suppose serological surveys would not work there.

Hans

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 03:36 AM

I don't know how the rinderpest thing was managed to be honest, but it's SOP in veterinary medicine to stop vaccination when you believe a disease has been eradicated in a region. The definition of "disease free" includes no serological evidence of circulating pathogen. (This is one of the reasons successive governments have been reluctant to vaccinate against FMD, BTW.)

With a human disease, you have a population with vaccine antibodies lasting for decades. With an animal disease, you have large numbers of youngstock coming up every year, so you should have quite sufficient susceptible seronegative individuals to allow valid serological surveillance.

Rolfe.

Simon39759 · 9th June 2011, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by MRC_Hans

Here's to that, then

. I just seem to remember that smallpox did re-emerge a couple of times after the first announcement of its eradication. But with all the vaccination, I suppose serological surveys would not work there.

Hans

But both cases were contamination from lab samples rather than a natural outbreak...

Capsid · 9th June 2011, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by Puppycow

Excellent news.

Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet.

There is one carrier in the UK who sheds wild type virus so this causes issues regarding eradication.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2144396.stm

Aepervius · 9th June 2011, 05:01 AM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

Ah, I see what you mean. Pest as in plague. La Peste and all that. "Rinderpest" literally translates as "cattle plague".

Rolfe.

Would not that rather be Bovine Plague ? Just like we have Porcine Plague ?

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 05:08 AM

Not unless you're really pretentious.

Rolfe.

Aepervius · 9th June 2011, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

Not unless you're really pretentious.

Rolfe.

What's the tongue smiley ?

:P

MRC_Hans · 9th June 2011, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

I don't know how the rinderpest thing was managed to be honest, but it's SOP in veterinary medicine to stop vaccination when you believe a disease has been eradicated in a region. The definition of "disease free" includes no serological evidence of circulating pathogen. (This is one of the reasons successive governments have been reluctant to vaccinate against FMD, BTW.)

With a human disease, you have a population with vaccine antibodies lasting for decades. With an animal disease, you have large numbers of youngstock coming up every year, so you should have quite sufficient susceptible seronegative individuals to allow valid serological surveillance.

Rolfe.

Big difference, yes. Also, with livestock, when you stop vaccination, and there is an outbreak, you can isolate the affected animals and knock them down.

BTW, many people just don't understand this; when there is an outbreak of Mouth and Hoof, they ask, why don't we just vaccinate? - But that would set the whole effort back.

Hans

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 06:49 AM

The FMD vaccine is also a very poor one. Not great protection, and doesn't last very long.

And then when you cave in to the "stop this senseless slaughter" brigade, the same people start insisting that meat from FMD vaccinated animals be so labelled in the shops, and then whip up a scare campaign to boycott it. (Maybe it's just as well we don't tell them about the vaccines food animals currently recieve as part of their routine healthcare!)

Rolfe.

Goshawk · 9th June 2011, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Puppycow

Excellent news.

Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet.

Still has a ways to go yet.

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbo...iomyelitis.htm

casebro · 9th June 2011, 08:08 AM

No Rinderpest in any wild populations? Wild water buffalo in Sumatra? Cape buffalo? American or Polish bison?

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 08:19 AM

Well, read the articles about it. No doubt there are some with more detail, to assess whether the announcement is justified.

Rolfe.

Madalch · 9th June 2011, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest".

I always thought the reverse about Budapest. A very nice city, and hardly contagious at all.

Ixion · 9th June 2011, 10:48 AM

This is good news! I understand the last confirmed case was in 2001, and that monitoring and vaccination together has led them to announce the official eradication.

On another note, there is evidence that rinderpest was the evolutionary predeccessor to measles in humans, which is another disease with the potential to be eradicated.

CapelDodger · 9th June 2011, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest". I was living in Nigeria during an epidemic of rinderpest, early 80s if I recall correctly, it devastated the cattle, which lead to starvation for many subsistence farmers and many farmers went out of business. And of course that had a huge impact on the entire economy of the country. Having seen the consequences of this pest close up I'm glad to hear its finally been eradicated.

Rinderpest was introduced to East Africa from Europe at the end of the 19thCE (during a scheme to "improve" the local stock), into a bovine population with no previous exposure. Imagine what that did in a largely cattle-based society.

I'm glad to hear of its eradication.

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 03:50 PM

Rinderpest was the disease which showed that eradication by culling infected individuals could work. It was also seen that when the disease was eradicated, it didn't spontaneously reappear. This was (probably part of) what killed the theory of spontaneous generation. ("As the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog....")

Rolfe.

CapelDodger · 9th June 2011, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

Rinderpest was the disease which showed that eradication by culling infected individuals could work. It was also seen that when the disease was eradicated, it didn't spontaneously reappear. This was (probably part of) what killed the theory of spontaneous generation. ("As the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog....")

Rolfe.

Such attention to rinderpest in an environment where it was endemic points up how nasty a pest it is.

Cattle have something to thank us for at last

.

Mister Earl · 9th June 2011, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by learner

God will be angry. It was one of his creations after all.

I honestly don't think he'll mind. Eradication is his favorite hobby. Perhaps he'll be flattered.

CapelDodger · 9th June 2011, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by Mister Earl

I honestly don't think he'll mind. Eradication is his favorite hobby. Perhaps he'll be flattered.

From what I hear, god is too jealous to be flattered by imitation.

Niggle · 9th June 2011, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by Puppycow

Excellent news.

Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet.

Polio won't be eradicated until someone forcibly vaccinates all those idiots following Jenny McCarthy AND all those claiming religious immunity from vaccination. Then you also have to counter the vicious rumors in other countries like the one in Africa that claimed the polio vaccine was an American plot to make Muslim women sterile to wipe out Islam.

dropzone · 9th June 2011, 05:07 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eradica...tious_diseases

And we were down to less than 1800 cases of Guinea Worm last year, versus 3.5 million in 1986. We live in wonderous times!

Rolfe · 9th June 2011, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by CapelDodger

Such attention to rinderpest in an environment where it was ~~endemic~~ enzootic points up how nasty a pest it is.

Cattle have something to thank us for at last

.

Rolfe, the pedant's pedant.

CapelDodger · 10th June 2011, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

Rolfe, the pedant's pedant.

I tip my hat to you, sir.

BenBurch · 11th June 2011, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by CapelDodger

...

Cattle have something to thank us for at last

.

Cattle have a LOT to thank us for.

Do you think they would exist in the modern world in any numbers at all if we had not domesticated them? How many Aurochs have you seen roaming the French woodlands lately?

Skeptic Ginger · 11th June 2011, 12:49 PM

OIE, the official record keeper on animal diseases.

Quote:

What is next?

Post-eradication phase starting just now constitutes a great challenge too.

Although the rinderpest virus no longer circulates amongst live animals it is still present in a number of laboratories, e.g. for the production of vaccines, should the disease reappear as a result of an accidental release or deliberate act.

FAO and OIE are working on the preparation and implementation of recommendations on confining the virus for research or vaccine production purposes, in full compliance with international biosecurity measures.

Like smallpox, specimens remain in some labs.

drzeus99 · 12th June 2011, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Cattle have something to thank us for at last

.

Absolutely !

The least they can do is buy me a dinner!

A nice juicy steak and a cold brew.

.

CaveDave · 13th June 2011, 03:31 PM

At first I thought "rinderpest" was someone's screen name on this forum (it STILL sounds like a handle I have seen on JREF

) who had been banished.
I was wondering why it was being announced in SMM&T by Rolfe (unless it was a Homeopath)

Originally Posted by Rolfe

I don't know how the rinderpest thing was managed to be honest, but it's SOP in veterinary medicine to stop vaccination when you believe a disease has been eradicated in a region. The definition of "disease free" includes no serological evidence of circulating pathogen. (This is one of the reasons successive governments have been reluctant to vaccinate against FMD, BTW.)

With a human disease, you have a population with vaccine antibodies lasting for decades. With an animal disease, you have large numbers of youngstock coming up every year, so you should have quite sufficient susceptible seronegative individuals to allow valid serological surveillance.

Rolfe.

[O/T]

Just showing how abbreviations can confuse interested but non-specialist readers:
The highlighted TLA [Three-Letter-Acronym] - FMD I had to look up, too.

Fluorescent Multilayer Disc? --- NO.
Flow Mediated Dilatation? --- Doubtful.
Frequent Mental Distress? --- By Virus? Naaah.
Fashion Model Directory? --- YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING...
Fecal Matter Demo? --- Not sure I WANT to know what that is....
Fort Madison (Amtrak station)? --- Nope...
Failure Modes/Mechanism Distribution? --- Might be interesting, but not on topic...
Fibromuscular dysplasia? --- Doesn't seem likely... But it IS a Disease...
Foot-and-mouth disease? --- MUCH more likely since it is Veterinary (as is Rolfe), it was recently a problem in the British Isles (Rolfe is in Scotland), and it is a communicable disease affecting farm animals (Rolfe works with lab testing Domestic Livestock).

Only wasted 5 min. finding that.

Not really COMPLAINING, as I learned new stuff, but it does slow the flow...

Move along. Nothing to see here...

Cheers,

Dave

Deetee · 13th June 2011, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Rolfe

Cattle plague - rinderpest, eradicated for good

Now there's one species eradication I for one will not be mourning.

Rolfe.

Can we say rinderpest is eradicated?
Isn't measles just rinderpest virus in human form?

Amazing what vaccines can do if people give them a chance....

CaveDave · 13th June 2011, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by CapelDodger

I tip my hat to you, ~~sir~~ Ma'am.

Fixed that fer ya.

D

Rolfe · 14th June 2011, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by Deetee

Can we say rinderpest is eradicated?
Isn't measles just rinderpest virus in human form?

Amazing what vaccines can do if people give them a chance....

If you think cattle can catch rinderpest from kids with measles, I suggest you inform the appropriate authorities....

Tolfe.

9th June 2011, 01:42 AM	#1
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	Rinderpest eradicated! Cattle plague - rinderpest, eradicated for good Originally Posted by Ananya Mandal As welcome news, world farm monitors on Wednesday declared a cattle-killing virus that has been a curse through the ages as eradicated. This is the first time an animal disease has been eradicated in human history. The global watchdog for farm-animal trade approved a report certifying that the last 14 countries of the world were free of rinderpest, also called cattle plague. “It's a historic moment,” said Bernard Vallat, director-general of the OIE, the Paris-based agency which oversees veterinary health among international trade in farm animals. “The world is free of rinderpest, its virus no longer circulates among animals… A sword of Damocles that has been hanging over all our heads has now been lifted,” he said. Ann Tutwiler, deputy director general of the FAO, said eradication massively boosted the fight against hunger and malnutrition, a problem expected to worsen through population growth and climate change. “We have a tremendous success that we can count today. It's a success that's born of cooperation, collaboration and partnership and most particularly knowledge,” she said. Now there's one species eradication I for one will not be mourning. Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 02:01 AM	#2
Puppycow Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Japan Posts: 15,717	Excellent news. Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet.
	__________________ “Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them. With Major Major it had been all three.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22

9th June 2011, 02:23 AM	#3
learner Graduate Poster Join Date: May 2008 Location: dorset england Posts: 1,588	God will be angry. It was one of his creations after all.
	__________________ "I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous" - My Mate Dave " How do you expect me to use my initiative if you wont tell me what to do?" - Dave again

9th June 2011, 02:29 AM	#4
MRC_Hans Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Whithin earshot of the North Sea Posts: 16,600	That sounds good, although I suppose we never know if there is some left somewhere. Hans
	__________________ Don't. Just don't.

9th June 2011, 02:34 AM	#5
Darat Lackey Administrator / JREF Forum Liaison Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 64,742	I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest". I was living in Nigeria during an epidemic of rinderpest, early 80s if I recall correctly, it devastated the cattle, which lead to starvation for many subsistence farmers and many farmers went out of business. And of course that had a huge impact on the entire economy of the country. Having seen the consequences of this pest close up I'm glad to hear its finally been eradicated.
	__________________ If it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1918-2008

9th June 2011, 02:48 AM	#6
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	Originally Posted by MRC_Hans That sounds good, although I suppose we never know if there is some left somewhere. Serological surveys tend to give a decent indication of residual pathogen presence. Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 02:49 AM	#7
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	Originally Posted by Darat I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest". I was living in Nigeria during an epidemic of rinderpest, early 80s if I recall correctly, it devastated the cattle, which lead to starvation for many subsistence farmers and many farmers went out of business. And of course that had a huge impact on the entire economy of the country. Having seen the consequences of this pest close up I'm glad to hear its finally been eradicated. Ah, I see what you mean. Pest as in plague. La Peste and all that. "Rinderpest" literally translates as "cattle plague". Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 03:15 AM	#8
MRC_Hans Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Whithin earshot of the North Sea Posts: 16,600	Originally Posted by Rolfe Serological surveys tend to give a decent indication of residual pathogen presence. Rolfe. Here's to that, then . I just seem to remember that smallpox did re-emerge a couple of times after the first announcement of its eradication. But with all the vaccination, I suppose serological surveys would not work there. Hans
	__________________ Don't. Just don't.

9th June 2011, 03:36 AM	#9
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	I don't know how the rinderpest thing was managed to be honest, but it's SOP in veterinary medicine to stop vaccination when you believe a disease has been eradicated in a region. The definition of "disease free" includes no serological evidence of circulating pathogen. (This is one of the reasons successive governments have been reluctant to vaccinate against FMD, BTW.) With a human disease, you have a population with vaccine antibodies lasting for decades. With an animal disease, you have large numbers of youngstock coming up every year, so you should have quite sufficient susceptible seronegative individuals to allow valid serological surveillance. Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 03:40 AM	#10
Simon39759 Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,285	Originally Posted by MRC_Hans Here's to that, then . I just seem to remember that smallpox did re-emerge a couple of times after the first announcement of its eradication. But with all the vaccination, I suppose serological surveys would not work there. Hans But both cases were contamination from lab samples rather than a natural outbreak...

9th June 2011, 04:33 AM	#11
Capsid Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,506	Originally Posted by Puppycow Excellent news. Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet. There is one carrier in the UK who sheds wild type virus so this causes issues regarding eradication. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2144396.stm
Capsid Graduate Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,506

9th June 2011, 05:01 AM	#12
Aepervius Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Bierland. I mean , germany. Posts: 7,735	Originally Posted by Rolfe Ah, I see what you mean. Pest as in plague. La Peste and all that. "Rinderpest" literally translates as "cattle plague". Rolfe. Would not that rather be Bovine Plague ? Just like we have Porcine Plague ?
	__________________ Omnes Blessant Ultima necat "I want, and this is my last and most dear wish, I want that the last of the king be strangled with the guts of the last priest" (Jean Meslier / 1664-1729 / Testament) A very early french atheist, a catholic priest in life.

9th June 2011, 05:08 AM	#13
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	Not unless you're really pretentious. Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 05:14 AM	#14
Aepervius Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Bierland. I mean , germany. Posts: 7,735	Originally Posted by Rolfe Not unless you're really pretentious. Rolfe. What's the tongue smiley ? :P
	__________________ Omnes Blessant Ultima necat "I want, and this is my last and most dear wish, I want that the last of the king be strangled with the guts of the last priest" (Jean Meslier / 1664-1729 / Testament) A very early french atheist, a catholic priest in life.

9th June 2011, 05:44 AM	#15
MRC_Hans Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Whithin earshot of the North Sea Posts: 16,600	Originally Posted by Rolfe I don't know how the rinderpest thing was managed to be honest, but it's SOP in veterinary medicine to stop vaccination when you believe a disease has been eradicated in a region. The definition of "disease free" includes no serological evidence of circulating pathogen. (This is one of the reasons successive governments have been reluctant to vaccinate against FMD, BTW.) With a human disease, you have a population with vaccine antibodies lasting for decades. With an animal disease, you have large numbers of youngstock coming up every year, so you should have quite sufficient susceptible seronegative individuals to allow valid serological surveillance. Rolfe. Big difference, yes. Also, with livestock, when you stop vaccination, and there is an outbreak, you can isolate the affected animals and knock them down. BTW, many people just don't understand this; when there is an outbreak of Mouth and Hoof, they ask, why don't we just vaccinate? - But that would set the whole effort back. Hans
	__________________ Don't. Just don't.

9th June 2011, 06:49 AM	#16
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	The FMD vaccine is also a very poor one. Not great protection, and doesn't last very long. And then when you cave in to the "stop this senseless slaughter" brigade, the same people start insisting that meat from FMD vaccinated animals be so labelled in the shops, and then whip up a scare campaign to boycott it. (Maybe it's just as well we don't tell them about the vaccines food animals currently recieve as part of their routine healthcare!) Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 07:25 AM	#17
Goshawk Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Decatur, Illinois, USA Posts: 1,453	Originally Posted by Puppycow Excellent news. Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet. Still has a ways to go yet. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbo...iomyelitis.htm

9th June 2011, 08:08 AM	#18
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	No Rinderpest in any wild populations? Wild water buffalo in Sumatra? Cape buffalo? American or Polish bison?
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	__________________ Please pardon me for having ideas, not facts. Some have called me cynical, but I don't believe them. It's not how many breaths you take. It's how many times you have been breathless that counts.

9th June 2011, 08:19 AM	#19
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	Well, read the articles about it. No doubt there are some with more detail, to assess whether the announcement is justified. Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 10:46 AM	#20
Madalch The Jester Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The wet coast. Posts: 8,698	Originally Posted by Darat I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest". I always thought the reverse about Budapest. A very nice city, and hardly contagious at all.
	__________________ As the size of an explosion increases, the number of social situations it is incapable of resolving approaches zero. -Vaarsuvius It's a rum state of affairs when you feel like punching a jar of mayonnaise in the face. -Charlie Brooker

9th June 2011, 10:48 AM	#21
Ixion Inquiring Mind Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,287	This is good news! I understand the last confirmed case was in 2001, and that monitoring and vaccination together has led them to announce the official eradication. On another note, there is evidence that rinderpest was the evolutionary predeccessor to measles in humans, which is another disease with the potential to be eradicated.
	__________________ Avatar kindly animated by Paulhoff. Because the last time I was playing Friday night, we ended up with the Ixion Fiasco - Horatius

9th June 2011, 02:53 PM	#22
CapelDodger Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Posts: 16,740	Originally Posted by Darat I always thought the name belied how devastating this was - "..pest". I was living in Nigeria during an epidemic of rinderpest, early 80s if I recall correctly, it devastated the cattle, which lead to starvation for many subsistence farmers and many farmers went out of business. And of course that had a huge impact on the entire economy of the country. Having seen the consequences of this pest close up I'm glad to hear its finally been eradicated. Rinderpest was introduced to East Africa from Europe at the end of the 19thCE (during a scheme to "improve" the local stock), into a bovine population with no previous exposure. Imagine what that did in a largely cattle-based society. I'm glad to hear of its eradication.
	__________________ It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward - Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so - William of Conches, c1150

9th June 2011, 03:50 PM	#23
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	Rinderpest was the disease which showed that eradication by culling infected individuals could work. It was also seen that when the disease was eradicated, it didn't spontaneously reappear. This was (probably part of) what killed the theory of spontaneous generation. ("As the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog....") Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

9th June 2011, 04:08 PM	#24
CapelDodger Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Posts: 16,740	Originally Posted by Rolfe Rinderpest was the disease which showed that eradication by culling infected individuals could work. It was also seen that when the disease was eradicated, it didn't spontaneously reappear. This was (probably part of) what killed the theory of spontaneous generation. ("As the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog....") Rolfe. Such attention to rinderpest in an environment where it was endemic points up how nasty a pest it is. Cattle have something to thank us for at last .
	__________________ It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward - Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so - William of Conches, c1150

9th June 2011, 04:09 PM	#25
Mister Earl Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,118	Originally Posted by learner God will be angry. It was one of his creations after all. I honestly don't think he'll mind. Eradication is his favorite hobby. Perhaps he'll be flattered.

9th June 2011, 04:19 PM	#26
CapelDodger Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Posts: 16,740	Originally Posted by Mister Earl I honestly don't think he'll mind. Eradication is his favorite hobby. Perhaps he'll be flattered. From what I hear, god is too jealous to be flattered by imitation.
	__________________ It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward - Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so - William of Conches, c1150

9th June 2011, 04:33 PM	#27
Niggle Basement Cat's Evil Twin Skippy Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 602	Originally Posted by Puppycow Excellent news. Besides small pox and now rinderpest, what else has been eradicated? IIRC polio is close to eradication, but is not completely eradicated yet. Polio won't be eradicated until someone forcibly vaccinates all those idiots following Jenny McCarthy AND all those claiming religious immunity from vaccination. Then you also have to counter the vicious rumors in other countries like the one in Africa that claimed the polio vaccine was an American plot to make Muslim women sterile to wipe out Islam.
	__________________ Niggle is correct... Niggle is extremely correct. -Remirol

9th June 2011, 05:07 PM	#28
dropzone Graduate Poster Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1,666	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eradica...tious_diseases And we were down to less than 1800 cases of Guinea Worm last year, versus 3.5 million in 1986. We live in wonderous times!

9th June 2011, 05:34 PM	#29
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,314	Originally Posted by CapelDodger Such attention to rinderpest in an environment where it was ~~endemic~~ enzootic points up how nasty a pest it is. Cattle have something to thank us for at last . Rolfe, the pedant's pedant.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

10th June 2011, 05:54 PM	#30
CapelDodger Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cardiff, South Wales Posts: 16,740	Originally Posted by Rolfe Rolfe, the pedant's pedant. I tip my hat to you, sir.
	__________________ It's a poor sort of memory that only works backward - Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) God can make a cow out of a tree, but has He ever done so? Therefore show some reason why a thing is so, or cease to hold that it is so - William of Conches, c1150

11th June 2011, 12:14 PM	#31
BenBurch Gatekeeper of The Left Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Universe 35.2 ms ahead of this one. Posts: 32,091	Originally Posted by CapelDodger ... Cattle have something to thank us for at last . Cattle have a LOT to thank us for. Do you think they would exist in the modern world in any numbers at all if we had not domesticated them? How many Aurochs have you seen roaming the French woodlands lately?
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11th June 2011, 12:49 PM	#32
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,516	OIE, the official record keeper on animal diseases. Quote: What is next? Post-eradication phase starting just now constitutes a great challenge too. Although the rinderpest virus no longer circulates amongst live animals it is still present in a number of laboratories, e.g. for the production of vaccines, should the disease reappear as a result of an accidental release or deliberate act. FAO and OIE are working on the preparation and implementation of recommendations on confining the virus for research or vaccine production purposes, in full compliance with international biosecurity measures. Like smallpox, specimens remain in some labs.
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)

12th June 2011, 06:08 PM	#33
drzeus99 Hellmouth Beastie Join Date: May 2006 Location: Wherever misfortune has me Posts: 366	Quote: Cattle have something to thank us for at last . Absolutely ! The least they can do is buy me a dinner! A nice juicy steak and a cold brew. .
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13th June 2011, 03:31 PM	#34
CaveDave Semicentenarian Troglodyte Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Buddy Holly's home, Surrounded by tumbleweeds, duststorms, and tornados. Posts: 1,760	At first I thought "rinderpest" was someone's screen name on this forum (it STILL sounds like a handle I have seen on JREF) who had been banished. I was wondering why it was being announced in SMM&T by Rolfe (unless it was a Homeopath) Originally Posted by Rolfe I don't know how the rinderpest thing was managed to be honest, but it's SOP in veterinary medicine to stop vaccination when you believe a disease has been eradicated in a region. The definition of "disease free" includes no serological evidence of circulating pathogen. (This is one of the reasons successive governments have been reluctant to vaccinate against FMD, BTW.) With a human disease, you have a population with vaccine antibodies lasting for decades. With an animal disease, you have large numbers of youngstock coming up every year, so you should have quite sufficient susceptible seronegative individuals to allow valid serological surveillance. Rolfe. [O/T] Just showing how abbreviations can confuse interested but non-specialist readers: The highlighted TLA [Three-Letter-Acronym] - FMD I had to look up, too. Fluorescent Multilayer Disc? --- NO. Flow Mediated Dilatation? --- Doubtful. Frequent Mental Distress? --- By Virus? Naaah. Fashion Model Directory? --- YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING... Fecal Matter Demo? --- Not sure I WANT to know what that is.... Fort Madison (Amtrak station)? --- Nope... Failure Modes/Mechanism Distribution? --- Might be interesting, but not on topic... Fibromuscular dysplasia? --- Doesn't seem likely... But it IS a Disease... Foot-and-mouth disease? --- MUCH more likely since it is Veterinary (as is Rolfe), it was recently a problem in the British Isles (Rolfe is in Scotland), and it is a communicable disease affecting farm animals (Rolfe works with lab testing Domestic Livestock). Only wasted 5 min. finding that. Not really COMPLAINING, as I learned new stuff, but it does slow the flow... Move along. Nothing to see here... Cheers, Dave
	__________________ I, for one, welcome our new Authoritarian Socialist Overlords! . . . All Hail, Comrade Obama! WHO IS JOHN GALT? . . . Read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. "Some say that I'm a wise man, some think that I'm a fool. It doesn't matter either way: I'll be a wise man's fool." Procol Harum "In Held 'Twas In I"

13th June 2011, 03:32 PM	#35
Deetee Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,790	Originally Posted by Rolfe Cattle plague - rinderpest, eradicated for good Now there's one species eradication I for one will not be mourning. Rolfe. Can we say rinderpest is eradicated? Isn't measles just rinderpest virus in human form? Amazing what vaccines can do if people give them a chance....
Deetee Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 3,790	__________________ "Reci bobu bob a popu pop." - Tanja "Everything is physics. This does not mean that physics is everything." - Cuddles "The entire practice of homeopathy can be substituted with the advice to "take two aspirins and call me in the morning." - Linda "Homeopathy: I never knew there was so little in it." - BSM Last edited by Deetee; 13th June 2011 at 03:39 PM.