11/16/2007 08:36 AM Mutated cold virus turns lethal; CDC not worried | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle National Nov. 16, 2007, 1:05AM Mutated cold virus turns lethal; CDC not worried 'Uncommon' illness sickens scores in Texas, three other states By MIKE STOBBE Associated Press
ATLANTA A mutated version of a common cold virus has caused 10 deaths in the last 18 months, U.S. health officials said Thursday. Adenoviruses usually cause respiratory infections that aren't considered lethal. But a new variant has caused at least 140 illnesses in New York, Oregon, Washington and Texas, said a report issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC officials don't consider the mutation to be a cause for alarm for most people, and they're not recommending any new precautions for the public. "It's an uncommon infection," said Dr. Larry Anderson, a CDC epidemiologist. The illness made headlines in Texas earlier this year, when a so-called boot camp flu sickened hundreds at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. The most serious cases were blamed on the emerging virus, and one 19-year-old trainee died. No clusters of that strain have been reported in Houston, said Kathy Barton, a city health department spokeswoman. Dr. Gail Demmler, a professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine who works in the virology laboratory at Texas Children's Hospital, said tests for the first six months of this year have not turned up any Ad14 strains. There are more than 50 distinct types of adenoviruses tied to human illnesses. They are one cause of the common cold and also trigger pneumonia and bronchitis. Some adenoviruses have also been blamed for gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis and cystitis. There are no good antiviral medications for adenoviruses. Patients usually are treated with aspirin, liquids and bed rest. Some people who get infected by the new bug probably would not suffer symptoms, and some may just feel a common cold. Sick people should see a doctor if they suffer a high fever or have trouble breathing, Anderson said. Earlier this year, hundreds of trainees at Lackland became ill with respiratory infections. Tests showed a variety of adenoviruses in the trainees, but at least 106 and probably more had the mutated form of Ad14, including five who ended up in an intensive care unit The Ad14 form of adenovirus was first identified in 1955. It's been detected rarely, but seems to be growing more common. Chronicle reporter Alexis Grant contributed to this report. KK Remember: life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes...
