Friday, May 4, 2012

A-Z of nasty diseases



I know, I know, I do harp on about Ms Meryl Dorey of the Australian Vaccination Network. But, in response to her latest little crusade, an A-Z of vaccinations, I've decided to pop up an A-Z of nasty illnesses. You'll notice that I primarily picked ones with a vaccine. This of course was deliberate, because two can play at that game, Ms Dorey. 

So as you read down the list just take a moment to be glad of how many illnesses, some potentially deadly, modern medicine has helped minimize in privileged society.


A-Z of nasty diseases:

  • A. Anthrax- has vaccine
  • B. Bacterial Meningitis- meningocoocal vaccine 
  • C. Cholera- vaccine
  • D. Diphtheria- vaccine
  • E...erm, Ebola? Erectile dysfunction? OK, so science is still working on E
  • F. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus- alright it's not a people disease (and I'm using the "flu" under I for influenza) but there is a vaccine
  • G. Genital warts- HPV vaccine
  • H. Haemophilus influenzae Type b- vaccine
  • I. Influenza- vaccine
  • J. Jaundice, often linked to hepatitis- Hepatitis A and B vaccines
  • K. Kennel cough- dogs this time and guess what? There's a vaccine
  • L. Lyme disease- vaccine
  • M. Measles and Mumps -vaccines
  • N. Norovirus- vaccine starting human trial soon
  • O. Obesity- vaccine in development.. yep, I'm serious
  • P. Polio and Pertussis - vaccines
  • Q. Q fever- vaccine
  • R. Rabies and Rubella- vaccines
  • S. Small pox- eradicated thanks to vaccines
  • T. Typhoid- vaccine
  • U. Urinary Tract Infection- vaccine in development
  • V. Vitamin K deficiency. In extreme circumstances this can lead to bleeding into the brain in newborns- Vitamin K injection. (You thought I was just going to put V for Vaccine didn't you? That would have been lazy)
  • W. West Nile virus- vaccine in development (Whooping cough was the obvious choice where, but I decided not to go with that)
  • X. Lucky for us, not many diseases start with X. But, we do use the awesomness of x-rays for diagnosis. I know it's lame, but it'll have to do 
  • Y. Yersinia Petis and Yellow fever- vaccines
  • Z. varicella Zoster (aka chicken pox)- vaccine


Oh yeah, and so far Ms Dorey is only up to 'D':



Edit (6 May 2012)

Now we have EFGH and J ... I think the AVN tweeter missed "I"







UPDATE: In relation to E, for ebola: According to this BBC report a commercial ebola vaccine is unlikely to ever reach development, as funding has been pulled.

1 comment:

  1. Haha, there's some new ones in there! And I love the character wasting on "and out of room for B" as though she could have just gone on and on... but I guess when you just pull crap out of thin air, you could just go on and on.

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