“Doctors say they are concerned about false rumors and “hysteria” that the unaccompanied children coming across the border from Mexico into Texas are carrying diseases such as Ebola and dengue fever.”  

 

Source:  NBC News.  Maggie Fox. (dated July 9, 2014).  “Vectors or Victims? Docs Slam Rumors That Migrants Carry Disease”    http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/immigration-border-crisis/vectors-or-victims-docs-slam-rumors-migrants-carry-disease-n152216

 

WELL WHAT ABOUT THE OTHERS.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

As is often the case, concerns, fear and even panic arise with some of the worst logic.   The fear may be right and have good reasons for its existence, but unless we consider the alternatives for how else it might apply, we could result in two series of negative historical epidemiology events–ignoring the original claim because it is misapplied, and missing the boat as how to better apply it.  

 

NPHG mapping doesn’t support the claim that in-migrating from Mexico and lower parts of the Americas  in unlikely to bring in diseases for us to be concerned with. 

 

Ecological fallacy is when you believe your observations and deductions pertain to a much larger area or population.  Such is the case for those arguing these "false rumors."

 

The support for the "possibility" (a term we should even consider removing from this sentence)  that in-migration patterns do not increase the risk of behaviors and disease coming in from other areas, peoples and culture is absurd.  We can try arguing the point that immunizable diseases is not a concern, because we can simply provide these as soon as they come in, although many underprivileged classes in this country also in need of these medicines will most certain fell neglected, and rightfully so.

 

The article is right in stating the concerns about dengue fever are overrated (see video), and my Ebola work is appearing to show that this is also unlikely to be linked to Mexico in-migration, as much as Caribbean or Natural Animal in-migrating patterns.

 

The argument that sufficient quarantine and public health monitoring strategies are in place only holds for those who enter this country legally.  

 

The real indicators here are the presence of in-migrated diseases from countries to the south, such as the most obscurest of ICDs with a well-defined cultural relationship–Chiclero’s Ear and Pinta.

 

But we can add more to this if need be.  Vibrio cholera outbreaks from a strain bred in Peru, Brazilian blastomycosis, and venezuelan encephalitis.

 

As I recently demonstrated on one of my ScoopIt! pages about Ebola, the most likely route of entry naturally is via the Caribbean and/or South to Central American route, through the eastern Texas-Mexico border, directed Northnortheastward.  The human in-migration route, more likely, involves major airports from Africa.

 

See:

 

Dengue, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHyehbfOwFo 

 

El Tor cholera at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5tccQopKFE (demonstrates a nidus in the NYC area, due to rule outs and high density of cases, but the major localized cluster in the Southwest)

 

Brazilian Blastomycosis, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPgOWoC1lO8

 

Chiclero’s Ear (route very strongly demonstrated), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmLlfLze1Lo

 

Pinta, using an earlier and very unique presentation technique, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCTueptEHlc

 

Venezuelan Encephalitis, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuKuvqAlZFU

 

Disease distributions in the US for ICDs linked to Middle and South America, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk7z6dbGuj8

 

My coverage of the disease in-migration for numerous parts of the world: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ60npQzdTk&list=PLWrApErk5bybFfsOWTXWjlwvIM7D4d6-h