Emerg Infect DisEIDEmerging Infectious Diseases1080-60401080-6059Centers for Disease Control and Prevention295802109-022510.3201/eid1602.090225Another DimensionPersonal Log, Stardate 42552.6KimCuriCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, Detroit, Michigan, USAAddress for correspondence: Curi Kim, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Detroit Quarantine Station, 2613 World Gateway Place, Detroit, MI 48242, USA; email: ckim@cdc.gov22010162368368Keywords: tuberculosismeaslesinfluenzacoxsackieviruscommunicable diseasesparasitesepidemiologyanother dimensionAwaiting the alien delegation from Sarona VIIITo scan them for communicable space disease,I think of history and can’t help but now speculateIf our ancestral officers in duty were at easeAt their own quarantining stations, earthbound ports of entry,There watchful for all ancient scourges crossing borders(tuberculosis … measles … influenza … coxsackie),Assessing travelers sans medical tricorders,But using only judgment and with epi skills equip’dTo help determine meaning in a cough, a rash;And knowing what they saw was barely the berg’s tipConsidering all the infected travelers they didn’t “catch”—Ah, the delegates just beamed aboard to be met;Let’s see what interstellar parasites we detect!

Suggested citation for this article: Kim C. Personal log, stardate 42552.6 [another dimension]. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2010 Feb [date cited]. http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/16/2/368.htm

Dr Kim is a quarantine medical officer at the CDC Detroit Quarantine Station, Detroit, Michigan. Her primary research interest is traveler’s health.