Global Free Press | Another Microbiologist Died, Ex-Fort Detrick

Another Microbiologist Died, Ex-Fort Detrick

posted by ewing2001 on Friday October 17, @05:56AM

from the Mitch-Chohen dept.

Another Microbiologist dies under mysterious circumstances.
West Nile Researcher Perich worked once at Fort Detrick.
In 1998, already one year before the Outbreak, seven scientists endorsed a West Nile Vaccine, supported by Jerome Hauer and ex-CIA director John Deutch

LSU W. Nile researcher, 46, dies in pickup crash on I-12

Theadvocate.com

Michael Perich, an LSU professor who helped fight the spread of the West Nile virus died Saturday morning in a one-vehicle car accident. He was 46.

Walker Police Chief Elton Burns said Sunday that Perich of 5227 River Bend Blvd., Baton Rouge, crashed his Ford pickup truck about 4:30 a.m. Saturday, while heading west on Interstate 12 in Livingston Parish.

Perich�s truck veered right off the highway about 3 miles east of Walker, flipped and landed in rainwater, Burns said.

Perich, who was wearing his seat belt, drowned. The cause of the crash is under investigation, Burns said.

Perich, who worked for the U.S. Army for more than 15 years, joined the LSU faculty in August 2001 as an assistant professor of medical entomology.

In addition to West Nile, Perich had also studied malaria and several other diseases, said Tim Schowalter, head of LSU�s entomology department.

"He was one of our stars," Schowalter said. "He was well known. While he was here, I certainly got to know the depth and breadth of his character and talent."

Perich worked with the East Baton Rouge Parish Mosquito Control and Rodent Abatement District to determine whether mosquitoes in the area carried West Nile.

He also worked with several other parishes to establish mosquito-abatement districts, said colleague Jack Baldwin, a professor of entomology.

"He certainly impressed me with his desire and incentive to do research, teach students and provide answers for the community," Baldwin said. "In the short time he was here, he was a leader in mosquito research."

Perich said in an interview with The Advocate in 2002 that his Army career led him to spend seven or eight months every year traveling the world.

He said he had been robbed at gunpoint, shot down while flying over Africa, ridden through the jungles of countless countries and suffered through malaria and dengue fever.

"He probably does more field work than any entomologist based in the United States that I know of," Robert A. Wirtz, chief of entomology at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has said of Perich.

...From 1986 to 1992, Perich worked at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Md., as the vector suppression program manager and research medical entomologist.

In 1992, he moved to work for the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and continued his travels to Southeast Asia, Central and South America, Korea and Africa. Perich did a lot of work with testing ways to keep disease-bearing insects, such as mosquitoes, away from people. His research looked at the use of various area insecticides, personal insect repellents and traps.

Among his other skills, Perich spoke Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Russian, Polish, Hungarian and Swahili.

Older story about Perich:

Does It Work: Mosquito Repellants WAFB.com -May 15, 2002

In the last few years, we've seen more cases of West Nile and Encephalitis around south Louisiana.. And while these mosquito-carrying viruses are nothing to fool around with, most of us spend our time worrying about how to keep the annoying little insects from biting--simply because--they're annoying! And bottom line you don't want to be a 'blood meal' as our bug expert says and he adds it's all about buying the right stuff!

It's a wonder why they're so annoying. They only live about 7 to 10 days.. But the mosquito seems to beat us everytime.. And it takes a certain product to keep them at bay. LSU entomologist Dr. Michael Perich said, "they don't go for veins or arteries, they're looking for a capillary." Dr Mike Perich is an expert on these bloodsuckers--and wouldn't you know it--only female mosquitos bite..

Dr. Perich is a blood-meal waiting to happen--he has no repellant--no protection on his arm at the time of the demonstration and did they attack! And as far as protection goes, Perich is positive about one thing--DEET--a chemical found in 'Off'. And it was our first product test with Perich and the skeeters.. Not-a-one... WAFB's Carmen Izzo asks, "so they'll taste the Off? Dr. Perich said, "not really taste, well I guess they do they smell it but they're not even landing on my arm."

Alright, so, Perich says a product like 'Off' works -- because of DEET. Whether it's a spray or cream.. And what about the products that come from citronella plants.. "smells good--that's why they like it." Izzo asked, But does it work? Dr. Perich said, "Citronella works but not for long." Perich says this product called Thermacell works well--about 20 bucks--it sends a type of heated signal so many yards away.. He says try and stay away from the cute little gadgets--cuz that's all they are.. Dr. Perich adds, "one last piece of advice.. Best thing is t-v and ac."

Dr. Perich so willingly lends himself to the mosquito because he's seen firsthand what it can do with the viruses it carries.. 15 years in the army.. He saw more than a dozen children die from not being able to protect themselves--so do what you can.

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