U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
May 30, 1:32 PM (ET)
By LAURAN NEERGAARD
WASHINGTON (AP) - Patricia Heller was super-healthy, an avid skier and
competitive bicyclist. So when she collapsed in the street after a
daylong bike ride, she first shrugged off the weakness as cramps. By
the next morning, Heller's left leg was completely paralyzed. It was
West Nile virus, from a mosquito bite the Colorado woman doesn't even
remember. She would need months of grueling therapy to walk again and
today, almost two years later, still isn't fully recovered.
West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed - and new research finds that even
so-called mild cases of West Nile fever can impair people for weeks or
months.
It's sobering news as the nation gears up for a seventh season of the
mosquito-borne virus.
"West Nile is fading a little bit from the public consciousness,"
worries Dr. Henry Masur of the National Institutes of Health. "Still,
there are more cases of paralysis (from West Nile) than there were in
many years of polio."
West Nile virus had stricken abroad for decades, from the tip of
Africa up to Europe and throughout Asia, before it appeared in New
York City in 1999 and began an inexorable march across this country.
Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have
counted more than 16,600 human cases and 654 deaths.
Severe illness still is rare, considering that 80 percent of people
infected never show symptoms.
But last year, about a third of the West Nile cases reported to CDC
had neurologic complications like meningitis or encephalitis. Those
are most common in older adults.
Then there are patients like the athletic Heller, who came down with
West Nile's most perplexing complication: polio-like paralysis or
severe muscle weakness that often strikes healthy people in their 30s,
40s and 50s. They may show no other symptoms before a limb suddenly
quits working. Sometimes, the paralysis leads to respiratory failure.
There are no good counts of this West Nile complication, and some
doctors believe it's frequently mistaken for a stroke or other
paralyzing ailment.
In a study to be published in July, CDC's Dr. Jim Sejvar estimates
that 10 percent of people who develop the most severe West Nile
disease may have some degree of the polio-like complication, and many
don't recover muscle function.
Even the less serious form of illness, West Nile fever, is turning out
to be harder to kick than doctors initially described, so much so that
the CDC has largely abandoned its earlier characterization as a "mild
disease."
A study by Chicago's health department last fall found that West Nile
fever was bad enough to keep half of sufferers out of school or work
for 10 days, fatigue lasted a month - and the median time to get back
to normal was a stunning 60 days.
What's happening? In much of the world, West Nile is a fairly mild
illness. But the form working its way through the United States
appears similar to a more virulent Israeli strain, something not
initially apparent to health workers.
"There was no recognition that it could paralyze and kill people that
were healthy and relatively young," says Heller, now 56, a physician's
assistant who shared rehabilitation with a 40-year-old also paralyzed
in late 2003. "We were really caught off guard."
There is no vaccine yet, or approved West Nile treatment. The best
protection is to avoid mosquitoes, using repellent whenever you're
outdoors and not letting puddles collect in flower pots, wading pools
or other spots where mosquitoes can breed.
Anyone with symptoms of serious illness should see a doctor right
away: high fever, severe headache, confusion or difficulty thinking,
stiff neck, severe muscle weakness, or tremors.
Studies of potential West Nile therapies - including infusions of West
Nile-fighting antibodies from the blood of survivors - are poised to
begin as soon as this year's first patients appear. California
especially is putting doctors and residents on notice to seek out
these research studies, as that state braces for what it expects to be
a large outbreak.
"If new symptoms develop at any age, don't assume that it is an
innocuous, transient viral infection," says Dr. Patrick Joseph, a San
Francisco physician and member of the National Foundation of
Infectious Diseases. "Seek help so diagnostic testing can be done."
For those who suffer paralysis, prompt physical therapy is crucial,
too, advises Dr. Mazen Dimachkie of the University of Texas Medical
School in Houston.
That therapy is what Heller credits with her ability to walk again,
and she's keeping it up in hopes of one day also being able to run
again. Meanwhile, she advises everyone she meets to slather on the bug
spray.
EDITOR'S NOTE - Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for
The Associated Press in Washington.
On the Net:
CDC info: http://www.cdc.gov/westnile
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| User: "Cardinal Chunder" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
31 May 2005 11:37:53 AM |
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wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus. Never mind what the CDC think or indeed
what common sense would allow you to quickly discount.
Remember saying that WNV would kill over a thousand in 2003 alone?
Wrong.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
01 Jun 2005 06:25:42 AM |
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itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
Sheesh, it sure would be a horror if it were any more effective.
here's hoping that you and yours get it so you can come on here and
let us know how harmless it is.
Tony
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| User: "tw" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
01 Jun 2005 06:32:57 AM |
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<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117625155.536efc041200cf3c60ceac73e839440d@teranews...
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.Never mind what the CDC think or indeed
what common sense would allow you to quickly discount.
Remember saying that WNV would kill over a thousand in 2003 alone?
Wrong.
Yep, as usual. Tony is WRONG.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
Sheesh, it sure would be a horror if it were any more effective.
here's hoping that you and yours get it so you can come on here and
let us know how harmless it is.
Isn't that lovely Christian behaviour from Fat Tony? Beat his sorry arse in
an argument and Bitchtits wishes disease on you. Nice!
Tony
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
01 Jun 2005 06:48:32 AM |
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<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117625155.536efc041200cf3c60ceac73e839440d@teranews...
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.Never mind what the CDC think or indeed
what common sense would allow you to quickly discount.
Remember saying that WNV would kill over a thousand in 2003 alone?
Wrong.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
Sheesh, it sure would be a horror if it were any more effective.
here's hoping that you and yours get it so you can come on here and
let us know how harmless it is.
Isn't that lovely Christian behaviour from Fat Tony? Beat his sorry arse in
an argument and Bitchtits wishes disease on you. Nice!
Hey Tommy Boy, if I listen to you and Moron, then I'm wishing him no
harm, right?
So which is it, a potentionally crippling or deadly disease, or
harmless?
Tony
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| User: "tw" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
01 Jun 2005 06:51:27 AM |
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<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117626525.8897995233291f1f701a38275df97d77@teranews...
<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117625155.536efc041200cf3c60ceac73e839440d@teranews...
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.Never mind what the CDC think or
indeed
what common sense would allow you to quickly discount.
Remember saying that WNV would kill over a thousand in 2003 alone?
Wrong.
Yep, as usual. Tony is WRONG.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
Sheesh, it sure would be a horror if it were any more effective.
here's hoping that you and yours get it so you can come on here and
let us know how harmless it is.
Isn't that lovely Christian behaviour from Fat Tony? Beat his sorry arse
in
an argument and Bitchtits wishes disease on you. Nice!
Hey Tommy Boy, if I listen to you and Moron, then I'm wishing him no
harm, right?
WRONG as usual, Bitchtits.
So which is it, a potentionally crippling or deadly disease, or
harmless?
Who said it was harmless, you fat fool?
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
02 Jun 2005 07:14:56 AM |
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Tommy Boy The Gay Clown wrote:
<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117626525.8897995233291f1f701a38275df97d77@teranews...
<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117625155.536efc041200cf3c60ceac73e839440d@teranews...
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.Never mind what the CDC think or
indeed
what common sense would allow you to quickly discount.
Remember saying that WNV would kill over a thousand in 2003 alone?
Wrong.
Yep, as usual. Tony is WRONG.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
Sheesh, it sure would be a horror if it were any more effective.
here's hoping that you and yours get it so you can come on here and
let us know how harmless it is.
Isn't that lovely Christian behaviour from Fat Tony? Beat his sorry arse
in
an argument and Bitchtits wishes disease on you. Nice!
Hey Tommy Boy, if I listen to you and Moron, then I'm wishing him no
harm, right?
So which is it, a potentionally crippling or deadly disease, or
harmless?
Who said it was harmless, you fat fool?
So you finally admit that WNV is dangerous?
Tony
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| User: "tw" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
02 Jun 2005 07:21:42 AM |
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<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117714509.11bcd6948edd51facb2f198b9c220297@teranews...
Tommy Boy The Gay Clown wrote:
<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117626525.8897995233291f1f701a38275df97d77@teranews...
<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117625155.536efc041200cf3c60ceac73e839440d@teranews...
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released
this
devastatingly ineffective virus.Never mind what the CDC think or
indeed
what common sense would allow you to quickly discount.
Remember saying that WNV would kill over a thousand in 2003 alone?
Wrong.
Yep, as usual. Tony is WRONG.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds
or
more paralyzed?
Sheesh, it sure would be a horror if it were any more effective.
here's hoping that you and yours get it so you can come on here and
let us know how harmless it is.
Isn't that lovely Christian behaviour from Fat Tony? Beat his sorry
arse
in
an argument and Bitchtits wishes disease on you. Nice!
Hey Tommy Boy, if I listen to you and Moron, then I'm wishing him no
harm, right?
So which is it, a potentionally crippling or deadly disease, or
harmless?
Who said it was harmless, you fat fool?
So you finally admit that WNV is dangerous?
When did I say it wasn't, Bitchtits? You really are too dense to understand
this stuff aren't you?
Tony
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| User: "Cardinal Chunder" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
01 Jun 2005 05:01:00 PM |
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wrote:
wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
And?
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
More people die from falling off ladders. Why aren't you posting
articles about ladders Tony? Or flu, AIDs, cancer, heart attacks,
strokes, assaults or automobile accidents?
And it's not over 1000 dead. That you assert so, just demonstrates that
you pull the figures out of your arse.
The article you just cut and pasted up which counted 654 deaths *total*
since 1999.
Sheesh, it sure would be a horror if it were any more effective.
The flu kills hundreds of times more people just in an average year.
It's also considerably more fatal.
here's hoping that you and yours get it so you can come on here and
let us know how harmless it is.
Tony
Hypocrisy and general fixation on minor causes of death noted.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
02 Jun 2005 07:17:27 AM |
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Somw Wacko wrote:
itwill@happen.com wrote:
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
And?
You and your ilk have been proven wrong.
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
More people die from falling off ladders.
I doubt that, anyway the point is that WNV dangerous.
Tony
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| User: "tw" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
02 Jun 2005 07:23:12 AM |
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<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117714660.6f9f58ffee43b9bf5eece8d748dabf9d@teranews...
Somw Wacko wrote:
itwill@happen.com wrote:
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
And?
You and your ilk have been proven wrong.
Can ilks get WNV? I woudl have thought their moss diet would prove a
powerful prophylactic.
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
More people die from falling off ladders.
I doubt that,
Pf course you do, we all know how fucking dense you are.
anyway the point is that WNV dangerous.
Not as dangerous as steroids, steroid-boy...
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
03 Jun 2005 09:13:55 AM |
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Tommy Te Oh So Obviously Clueless Clown wrote:
<itwill@happen.com> wrote in message
news:1117714660.6f9f58ffee43b9bf5eece8d748dabf9d@teranews...
Somw Wacko wrote:
itwill@happen.com wrote:
itwill@happen.com wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
And?
You and your ilk have been proven wrong.
Can ilks get WNV? I woudl have thought their moss diet would prove a
powerful prophylactic.
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
More people die from falling off ladders.
I doubt that,
Pf course you do,
Well Tommy Boy, why don't you tell me how many people die from falling
off of ladders?
anyway the point is that WNV dangerous.
Not as dangerous as steroids,
Wrong again, Clown.
Tony
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| User: "Cardinal Chunder" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
02 Jun 2005 09:40:27 AM |
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wrote:
Somw Wacko wrote:
wrote:
wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
And?
You and your ilk have been proven wrong.
Actually I'm proven right. You have a hard on for this particular
disease yet not the sense to seek out information that might make you
seem informed.
You cut and paste stories verbatim from WND and then make profoundly
stupid statements which are even contradicted by the very story you
posted in the first place.
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
More people die from falling off ladders.
I doubt that, anyway the point is that WNV dangerous.
Tony
Yes more people die from falling off ladders. The average number of
annual deaths just in the *home* averages out at 188 for 1992-1999, or
3.2% of all deaths by falls.
http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/state_of_home_safety/sohs_2004_w004.aspx
In 2002 the *total* number of deaths attributed to falls was 17116.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr53/nvsr53_05acc.pdf
Assuming 3.2% represents the number of deaths due to falls from ladders
across the board and that 17116 is a typical figure, that means 548
deaths per year due to falling off a ladder.
In a single year, nearly as many people die from falling off a ladder as
have died from WNV in total.
That you "doubt it" is a product of your own lack of common sense and
inability to think for yourself.
.
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| User: "WH" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
02 Jun 2005 03:56:04 PM |
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wrote:
Somw Wacko wrote:
wrote:
wrote:
U.S. Braces for West Nile Virus Season
And?
And this: "West Nile was long considered a serious problem only for
the elderly
and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. Now a
surprising number of patients like Heller shows the virus is more
threatening than widely believed"
And?
You and your ilk have been proven wrong.
Oh right, you still think in your tiny skull that Saddam released this
devastatingly ineffective virus.
Ineffective? Over 1,000 dead, 10's of thousands made ill, hundreds or
more paralyzed?
More people die from falling off ladders.
I doubt that, anyway the point is that WNV dangerous.
Tony
HIV is dangerous, Bird flu is dangerous, cancer is dangerous, climbing
a ladder is dangerous, crossing the street is dangerous. Pantyboy, WNV
is nothing, zero compared to "dangers" people meet every day of their
lives.
Sheesh!
WH
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
03 Jun 2005 09:16:46 AM |
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Chris the Gay IRA Member wrote:
WNV
is nothing, zero compared to "dangers" people meet every day of their
lives.
Really? So Why are you people getting so upset about me wishing this
harmless nothing on someone?
Tony
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| User: "Cardinal Chunder" |
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| Title: Re: West Nile Virus more threatening than widely believed |
03 Jun 2005 11:44:14 AM |
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wrote:
Chris the Gay IRA Member wrote:
WNV
is nothing, zero compared to "dangers" people meet every day of their
lives.
Really? So Why are you people getting so upset about me wishing this
harmless nothing on someone?
Tony
If laughing at your WNV fixation and general ignorance is "getting
upset" then count me in.
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