Psittacosis Europe in 1879. In 1929, a highly publicized outbreak of psittacosis hit the United States. Although not the first report of psittacosis in the United States, it was the largest up to that time. It led to greater controls on the import of pet parrots. The aftermath of the outbreak and how it was handled led to the establishment of the National Institutes of Health. From 2002 through 2009, 66 human cases of psittacosis were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and most resulted from exposure to infected pet birds, usually cockatiels, parakeets, and macaws. Many more
Glycogen storage disease type II International Pompe Association. John Crowley became involved in the fund-raising efforts in 1998 after two of his children were diagnosed with Pompe's. He joined the company Novazyme in 1999, which was working on enzyme replacement treatment for Pompe's. Novazyme was sold to Genzyme in 2001 for over US$100 million. The 2010 film "Extraordinary Measures" is based on Crowley's search for a cure. Glycogen storage disease type II Glycogen storage disease type II, also called Pompe disease, is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder which damages muscle and nerve cells throughout the body. It is caused by an accumulation of glycogen in