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| | | | | | | Posted by Aran I've been brushing up on my epidemiology prior to this week's midterm exam in my wildlife disease class, and found yet another reason to wear respirators, especially if you explore in the American Southwest: A new disease has recently emerged in the region in the last few years. Known as the Sin Nombre (Nameless) Virus, it is found in the saliva and aerosolized urine and feces of rodents, especially the deer mouse in California and the Four Corners Region. If human inhale it (say, by kicking up dust containing rodent feces), there is a 2-4 week incubation period. After that, the victim experiences rapid onset flu-like symptoms that quickly progress to acute respiratory and pulmonary distress and failure. If left untreated, it has a mortality rate of 55%- a mortality rate that even ICU care can only bring down to 36%. That's a coin flip chance of dying- and you won't even know to seek care until it's too late, since it exhibits similar symptoms to the flu at first. Rodents are one of the biggest zoonotic disease reservoir host populations in the world, and aerosolized waste is a major transmission vector. A respirator can protect you from a lot more than asbestos. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Posted by Cricket999 Hi, I recently bought a 3M™ Organic Vapour Cartridge/Filter, 60921,(Black seal) from 3m and I could be blind but I couldn't find how long it is effective for after opening. The places I am going to explore in the next few weeks all have the potential to have organic vapour floating around and I want to be sure I'm safe. How often do you guys usually switch filters? |
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