Reply #23: thoughts. [View All]

[kutastha]

I find this curious. Did he have leukemia before entering the army? Maybe not, but if he had a germline genetic mutation, it may not have manifested itself, and thus would not show up on a routine examination. Inhaling radioactive dust would not seem likely to cause such mutations, as leukemia results from problems in the bone marrow. So where did the leukemia come from? I find it unlikely he died directly from leukemia.

Leukemia would indeed increase his likelihood of contracting pneumonia, as depending on the type, might interfere with his ability to fight off an inhaled organism or small particle. If that particle was radioactive, I would anticipate lung cancer, versus a leukemia. I find it interesting that they found no cause of the pneumonia (perhaps more of a pneumonitis, from inhaled particles? Inquiring minds would love to know), so this lends more mystery to why this soldier died.

Pneumonia seems to be running rampant over there, and AFAIK, bacterial pneumonia is not a prevalent disease in the hot, arid desert environment.