Like dozens of other DomainFest Global participants, I caught a nasty bug that grounded me for much of last week. In light of the bug that felled over 10% of the DomainFest participants, “domain fever” takes on a new meaning. Previously I was overtaken by “domain fever,” when I felt compelled to continually buy domain names for investment. The new “domain fever” is a bug that knocks down domainers after partying at the Playboy Mansion. At any rate, I’m just starting to regain my normal energy levels, and still catching-up on post-fest follow-ups as well as my consulting practice. I hope everyone else afflicted is feeling better.
I had thought I just had a nasty cold or flu, until I heard that I was one of dozens of domainers affected. This cluster of sick domainers, with flu-like symptoms, was brought to light in a post on DNJournal, which broke the story last week. Domainers have also shared their experiences on the Facebook wall of Nico Zeifang of Team Internet GmbH. According to DNJournal, the running tally of sick people has reached 93 people out of the approximately 700 who attended DomainFest Global in Santa Monica. According to DNJournal, one Swedish domainer, Johannes Eriksson, was tested in Sweden. A series of tests determined that he was infected with Legionellosis, an infectious bacterial infection that causes the potentially fatal Legionnaires Disease and the milder Pontiac Fever.
While it is possible that many or all of us contracted Legionellosis, from breathing tainted water vapor, the Los Angeles Health department has not conclusively determined the cause and are now asking all afflicted people to submit tests. They are focusing on people who visited the Playboy Mansion for the closing party and charity event that happened on Thursday, February 3. They are calling the outbreak a “Cluster of respiratory illness,” and are asking affect people to submit to tests to help determine the pathogen.
I filled-out a survey form offered by the Los Angeles Health Department and received a phone call from them yesterday. They are asking people who attended the event to submit tests to help determine the cause of the cluster. The person I spoke with cautioned not to jump to conclusions about the cause without the test results. There are a number of nasty viruses going around in the Los Angeles area that could have afflicted many of us. But she agreed that the timing of onset and the number of people affected raises concerns about other potential causes, including Legionellosis.
Below is the text of the email I received from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, which includes a link to the attached PDF letter.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is contacting persons who attended social gatherings at the Playboy Mansion during the first week of February 2011 to investigate a cluster of respiratory illness. If you attended an event during this time period and have had respiratory symptoms we encourage you to contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
If you do not have a medical provider please call the Acute Communicable Disease Control program at (213) 240-7941 during normal business hours and (213) 974-1234 after business hours. We can assist you with testing and treatment for your illness.
Attached is a letter with recommended tests for your provider to consider.
If you are not a Los Angeles County resident we still encourage you to see a medical provider and obtain testing. We would appreciate if you could share your results with us. Results can be emailed to ACDC2 @ ph.lacounty.gov or faxed to 213-482-4856.
