In 2003, 71 people in several midwestern states contracted a mysterious illness that eluded diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was contacted, and the definitive diagnosis was found to be human mon-keypox. Of the 71 peopleaffected, 35 were diagnosed by confirmed laboratory findings, and 18 of those worked in veterinary clinics. After the CDC finished its investigation, it was determined that human monkeypox had been spread by pet prairie dogs that became infected after contact with wild rodents imported from Africa. None of the prairie dogs exhibited any signs of illness. The outbreak was quickly contained and controlled.
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