Slashdot Mirror
Scientists Found the Origin of the Ebola Outbreak
Taco Cowboy sends this report from Vox:
One of the big mysteries in the Ebola outbreak in West Africa is where the virus came from in the first place — and whether it's changed in any significant ways. ... In a new paper in Science (abstract), researchers reveal that they have sequenced the genomes of Ebola from 78 patients in Sierra Leone who contracted the disease in May and June. Those sequences revealed some 300 mutations specific to this outbreak. Among their findings, the researchers discovered that the current viral strains come from a related strain that left Central Africa within the past ten years. ... Using genetic sequences from current and previous outbreaks, the researchers mapped out a family tree that puts a common ancestor of the recent West African outbreak some place in Central Africa roughly around 2004. This contradicts an earlier hypothesis that the virus had been hanging around West Africa for much longer than that. Researchers are also planning to study the mutations to see if any of them are affecting Ebola's recent behavior. For example, this outbreak has had a higher transmission rate and lower death rate than others, and researchers are curious if any of these mutations are related to that. ... The scientific paper on Ebola is also a sad reminder of the toll that the virus has taken on those working on the front lines. Five of the authors died of Ebola before it was published.
/cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/674656/Screen_Shot_2014-08-27_at_6.30.21_PM.0.png){kind=link}
Think you're "brave"? You "stand up to power"? Over First World problems?
Quit patting yourself on the back.
Five of the authors died of Ebola before it was published.
There's REAL dangers to be faced out there away from your sheltered basement, and there always will be.
Trying to figure out the mortality rate for a virus that's still making it's rounds seems premature. What if you've been infected for a day? That you haven't yet died from Ebola doesn't mean you won't..
It's nice to have this analysis. But am I the only wondering to what other use they could have put those DNA Points???
The big mystery about where it comes from is where it lies dormant, which it seems is as yet still unknown.
Notice how there are trials of new super drugs underway - staged?
There's another one in Congo that appears to be a different strain.
I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
It's nice to have this analysis. But am I the only wondering to what other use they could have put those DNA Points???
There was an important line from the original FA which was omitted in the submission:
"The longer Ebola circulates, the more opportunities it has to change --- possibly for the worse"
Meaning, with all the DNA data-points that they have gathered they _could_ figure out how to trigger a virus to become a most virulent kind, and they _could_ foreseeably use _that_ insight to aid them in creating something that is ultra-ordinarily deadly, virulent and efficient
I too, am worry about it
Yo mama!
What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
There's a chart accompanying the original FA which may help you
http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbo...
The fact that so many experts on the disease die of it is a testament to its extreme contagiousness, and why we really should be scared of this thing. Of all people, experts of the disease take precautions to avoid catching it themselves, when they do, its not a good sign. It only makes sense to put into place travel bans from infected countries. It is important when dealing with this diseases to stop the spread by banning travel from the hot zone. There also needs to be public funding for a vaccine.
Or get bitten by. The hypothesised reservoir is fruit bats, but other primates can be infected by filoviruses, and pigs have also been found to carry them asymptomatically. Source: the WHO fact sheet on Ebola virus disease.
Some medical workers are in fact spreading the disease.
Help stamp out iliturcy.
Why don't we ask why many many people in this World have Third World problems in the 21 st century and let's guilt trip THEM for having them.
One word: bushmeat
Posting anonymously because I don't really want to be associated with this bleak, black writing. Yet I think perhaps it is time to jam these thoughts into the public discourse.
So the current ebola outbreak originated from a strain located about 3,000 miles east of current patient #0 and its mortality rate is siginificantly lower, from around 90% to around 67%, which actually improves its infection rate, IIRC.
Am I wrong, or is this consistent with what one would expect if the virus had been weaponized? Between deaths directly due to the disease and deaths due to the collapse of infrastructure caused by the disease, a large area in western Africa that is rich in resources is being depopulated and becoming available for a massive land grab. The first group to establish isolated and fortified enclaves while the current society crumbles, the first group that is willing to shoot to kill any possible carrier of the disease who approaches their enclaves' walls, could take over and defend itself against all adversaries. There are groups not too far away in northern Nigeria that are openly talking about establishing a Caliphate in western Africa, using if necessary a full out Jihad where infidels could be lawfully slaughtered without cause. Ebola might be seen as a Holy Intervention From Above in certain well-armed groups.
Or maybe Western Medicine is going to pull a rabbit out of its hat and develop, prepare, and deliver enough vaccine to stop ebola in its tracks. Currently WHO says that in 6 months it will have some kind of a plan for dealing with ebola-- and presumably the secondary deaths due to malnutrition from closed markets and disease from failed sewage and water treatment-- and there will only be 20,000 dead by that time. By the time when the planning phase is completed, and the plan is ready to be put into action. It really sounds like WHO has no rabbit in hand and is talking through its hat.
despite recieving constant aid and assistance, have been unable to develop any sort of technical economy.
Perhaps that should read: "because receiving constant aid and assistance, have been unable to develop any sort of technical economy."
Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
.....by pure luck.
Even if we accept your "logic", it has the ring of a sociopath.
https://donate.doctorswithoutb...
Even if you kill all the below average people 50% of the remain people will be below average and you will be in both groups.
Funny, especially because the Pygmies, who happen to be in Africa, are a lot more likely to do so.
Since when did doctors know the IQ of fetuses before they were born?
I wonder how that's supposed to be applied to the U.S., when its uniqueness is its diversity, due to immigrants. :)
All I can say is: go read a history book. Read over how Africa came to become the divided continent it is today.
Have you even read 1984?
Ebola could be evolving into a less deadly form. After all if it rapidly kills a carrier it's not likely to be communicated to another victim. While a less deadly but more contagious form would flourish.
SG
" For example, this outbreak has had a higher transmission rate and lower death rate than others, and researchers are curious if any of these mutations are related to that"
This is good news I guess, the virus is adapting to become less lethal and more transmittable. This is the history of diseases. A disease that kills
it's host is not successful and eventually mutates to cohabit with the host, hopefully before it has wiped out the whole population.
Think 'Mutually Assured Destruction'...
Or get tissue (including blood) into a wound on the human, when skinning / gutting / butchering a carcass killed for meat.
Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
A "topical painkiller for the throat" in on itself makes it NOT a placebo but a painkiller for symptomatic relief.
And syrups which require prescription (not over the counter) tend to be based on some form of an antibiotic.
The main issue is the kind of antibiotic in the syrup and the dosage. Followed closely by the method of administration.
Dosage is usually 2-3 times lower when the antibiotic is taken orally instead of via an intramuscular or intravenous injection.
http://www.globalrph.com/penic...
Ampicillin:
Dosing:
Infants and Children:
Mild-to-moderate infections:
I.M., I.V.: 100-150 mg/kg/day in divided doses every 6 hours (maximum: 2-4 g/day) .
Oral: 50-100 mg/kg/day in doses divided every 6 hours (maximum: 2-4 g/day) .
Severe infections/meningitis: I.M., I.V.: 200-400 mg/kg/day in divided doses every 6 hours (maximum: 6-12 g/day)
On top of that, a teaspoon of antibiotic suspension tends to contain about 250 mg of actual medicine.
They are prescribing these to both babies and to kids in puberty, like I was back then.
So, better safe than overdose policy from a young MD ensured I got a baby dose instead of an adult one as I was almost 18 and weighed about 62-63 kg.
Not that I looked like an adult. Apart from the beard. Which I've probably shaven off before going to a doctor.
I.e. I got a 25-35 times lower dose than it was safe and about 5-6 times lower than needed.
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens