Gabi-
 
No, they don't seem to have much information at all. We've spoken to the 
Wegerner's Foundation at NIH, but they admit that they know very little. It's 
not even known if it's caused by a virus or bacteria, or what, There are a 
couple of very similar maladies with similar symptoms (Pastoral disease, I 
believe, is one) that they know the cause.
 
Wegener's is an almost total mystery. There are opinions by some researchers, 
but that's all they are. Some doctors think that stress may play a part in 
the activation of the disease. It may be gene-borne, but it doesn't appear to 
be contagious, or even an undue risk to others with the same genes. For 
example, they say there are no cases of parents, children or siblings also 
having the illness. 'Course, there are only about 25 cases a year, so the 
numbers may not be sufficient for any real assurance in that area.
 
Some think that a gene carries the pre-disposition (perhaps several in a 
family have the same gene) but some action or reaction may trigger it. One 
doctor even told us that he feels it could be as prosaic as walking through a 
perfume department and having the odor activate the sickness. Who knows?
Thanks for your input, Gabi,
--- Maximus/2 3.01
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