An ArmadilloArmageddon An ArmadilloArmageddon

Because many of our readers are new to Florida, we wanted to let you know about a little known disease that can be found incubating in one in five of those cute little Armadillos frolicking about on your front lawn. Yes—it’s leprosy

Whooping It Up

We know you thought that went by the wayside several hundred years ago, but… well, it didn’t. The thing that did go by the wayside is a person being slowly eaten alive by the disease, which can cause skin lesions. New antibiotics can now cure you of leprosy, but the fact you caught it probably won’t get you invited to many dinner parties.

How can you avoid the possibility of getting leprosy from a wayward armadillo? Don’t eat them, don’t wrestle with them and avoid digging in your flower garden in the same spot they do.

Two years ago, at 57 years of age, I had a terrible bout with Whooping Cough for the second time in my life. I include this disease in this article because it became very personal to me, as I almost coughed myself to death over several months. What is amazing is that 300,000 people around the world do just that every year.

And if you are a part of my generation that suffered through pertussis when we were young, sit up and take notice—we are beginning to have it again. It seems that our immunity to this horrible disease isn’t a lifelong thing; it is only a decades-long thing. The fact is, because pertussis is becoming a problem due to popular anti-vaccination movements, there are going to be more children coming down with the disease. It is still fairly rare, but it is becoming increasingly more common. As more children come down with whooping cough, so will more Baby Boomers… and Florida is Baby Boomer heaven. Remember, you can be vaccinated again, and it might be well worth it, because if you do come down with the disease, there is little to be done other than wait it out… and trust me on this one… it seems like forever.

Out Of The Blue

ADULT ONSET STILL’S DISEASE HAS NO KNOWN CAUSE, AND TREATMENT IS ONLY SPECIFIC TO EACH SYMPTOM. THE DISEASE, WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY JOINT PAIN, HIGH, SPIKING FEVERS, RASH, MUSCLE PAIN AND SORE THROAT, STRIKES FROM NOWHERE AND IS BELIEVED TO BE WHAT IS CALLED AN AUTOIMMUNE SYNDROME. RESEARCHERS BELIEVE IT MAY BE THE BODY’S RESPONSE TO AN INFECTION OR TOXIN THAT HAS GONE AWRY, BUT, WHATEVER THE CAUSE, THE DISEASE CAN WORSEN PROGRESSIVELY AND CAUSE LONG-TERM DISABILITY.

Fevers occur almost daily and are usually accompanied by a rash on the chest or thighs. Joint pain can intensify, and, eventually, the affected joints can be destroyed. Adults between 16 and 35 years of age are usually affected, and slightly more women than men contract the disease.