Chronic kidney disease epidemic in agricultural workers and virology links

MediCC Review have devoted an entire issue to the epidemic of chronic kidney disease that is affecting agricultural workers especially sugar cane workers in Nicaragua and other places.

You can access the issue here and download the studies and reports. 

Also this week via a helpful Australian virologist on Twitter I was given the link to this comprehensive list of viruses in Australia. Note how a few of them have the word river in their name. The Hendra virus (encephalitis related I think) that affected the racehorses which was spread by flying foxes (largest bat in the world) was very curious. I saw some videos of flying foxes on youtube. Megawatty sized bats with foxy features about them.

You too can acquaint yourself with Australian viruses by clicking here. 

Also, extraordinary virology lectures available online by rock star virologist at Columbia university right here (scroll down to the chart and click on the far right where it says itunes iphone etc for the videos)

Note: I have a plain person’s or lay person’s interest in this topic the way some folks enjoy train spotting or baseball. You too can join me in becoming a part time, very vague virology nerd. I think it’s important the plain people educate themselves about obscure stuff. I am deeply saddened to have mislaid my found-on-the-side-of-the-road Virology textbook. I may have discarded it in one of those why on earth do I have this book moments. Quelle dommage. Que paina. Or it might be holding up a piece of wobbly furniture. (best case scenario).

I have not lost my textbook on the principles of neural aging which I had to consult during Wednesday’s dinner. Phew.