Is this story in any way related to the prairie dog/monkeypox connection announced earlier in the month? See CBS/AP article below.



"A virus similar to smallpox apparently jumped from an imported African rat to pet prairie dogs, infecting at least four people — possibly dozens — in the disease's first appearance in the Western Hemisphere.



Fourteen people in Wisconsin are suspected of suffering from the monkeypox virus and four are confirmed, said City of Milwaukee health commissioner Dr. Seth Foldy. At least 10 more cases in Indiana and three in Illinois are suspected.



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday the prairie dogs likely were infected with the virus by a giant Gambian rat, which is indigenous to African countries, at a suburban Chicago pet distributor.



Thirteen of the people suspected of having the virus in Wisconsin were around prairie dogs, while the other apparently contracted it after handling a sick rabbit that had been around a prairie dog. Foldy said it doesn't appear anyone contracted the virus from another person.



Monkeypox in humans is not usually fatal, but causes rashes, fevers and chills. Doctors initially feared they might be facing smallpox, which causes similar symptoms, but scientists quickly eliminated that possibility after discovering the link between people and prairie dogs. Monkeypox's incubation period is about 12 days."



Meridith Wehrle

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