Ok, maybe it sounds like a dumb question. But I read in an old UCN that some Mexicans were infected with CAE and subsequently found to be carrying resistance to the HIV virus. They exhibited no symptoms from the CAE. I have to wonder about it though. If CAE offers immunity or even just resistance to HIV, why aren't people lining up to be vaccinated? I know that CAE and HIV are closely related retroviruses, could it be that they are varaitions of the same virus? In that case, maybe it's not a good thing that the people showed antibodies to the HIV virus!
Here's why I'm asking all this; I tested the whole herd for CAE this spring, and drew the blood myself. One of the does happened to jerk suddenly, the needle came out of her jugular vein, and cut my hand moderately ( not just a scratch, plenty of blood). A day or so after that, I didn't feel well, thought I had mastitis but no hardness, etc, just very sore and tender. That went away, then my legs ached really badly, first the calves, over a few days I moved up the entire leg and then faded off. Through all this, I felt tired and drug out. I still don't feel good, all achy and exhausted sometimes, like a cold with no visible symptoms. The doe that cut my hand turned out to be positive. So do I have CAE? You'd think I would have caught it before if I do, but I can't drink the raw milk and these does have not been in the herd for that long.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), August 26, 2001

Answers

I do not think humans can get CAE, but you may have some other problem and should talk to a DR.

-- grant (organicgrange@yahoo.com), August 26, 2001.

And how would I test for it? I sincerely doubt that the Dr. Would take me seriously if I brought it up to him. Maybe draw some blood and send it in to WSU? Can they tell that it is human and not goat blood?

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), August 26, 2001.

Rebekah, do you have swollen knees? :) I would love for you to send in a blood sample to find this out! Though I also had read the article you talked about I have never been able to find any other information about this. We have drank our milk raw for years, though once we started testing for CAE we didn't use CAE positive does milk in the house, actually we stopped milking them completely. But I have always wondered about this. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 26, 2001.

Rebekah, it sounds an awful lot like PMS in the physical aspects :). I have CAE+ goats and prefer the milk raw, although I do pastuerize now. From all that I have read on it (the article sited above and I believe one other one on the same study) it doesn't seem to indicate that people can contract it. Why don't you send the blood in for a test just to see? That would be really interesting. I know cow's blood is really close to human, but I don't know about goats.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), August 27, 2001.

people CAN'T contract it, is how it is supposed to read. sheesh.

-- (bisquit@here.com), August 27, 2001.

I don't think it's PMS, I'm nursing a baby and I never get PMS. Besides, isn't PMS supposed to last just a couple days? This has been going on for about four months off and on. Been doing a little research, and it seems that Q fever is a possibility. Will let you know if I get to a Dr. and fnd out whta the problem is, whether its goat related or not.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), August 27, 2001.

What is Q fever? And yes, PMS is only supposed to last for maybe a week or so at the most. I wish I never had it!

-- Dreen (bisquit@here.com), August 29, 2001.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/qfever/

Tick Borne Diseases, Q Fever from Emergency Medicine http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic589.htm#section~treatment

Dorset Health Authority: Q Fever What is it? http://www.dorset.swest.nhs.uk/comm_dis/qfever.html

There are three links about Q fever. All rather alarming. It sounds a lot like what I had ( feel better now, but it seems to come and go), but my hubby says lets wait and see if I get better !!! (Or not!)

http://www.aegis.com/pubs/aidswkly/1997/AW970601.html

And that is an excellent article about CAE and AIDS, very worthwhile reading, especially for goat owners.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), September 05, 2001.

Excellent article on CAE and Aids! Thanks for clearing up the Q fever thing. I find it interesting that the CDC has listed that it would be very easy to use in bilogical terrorism. Strikes that black humor chord in me!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), September 06, 2001.