Ebola and my talk with someone who knows more than I ever will.

[Justus]

And we are going to see domestic infections take off. As mentioned, our only armour against this virus from the deepest pits of Hell is our hygeine. Even a reasonably well planned attack by ISIS on continental America using ebola won't do a great deal of damage, though it would do more than the 9/11 attacks did. The second ebola learns the new trick of airborne or waterborne transmission, even that armour will fail to protect us any further.

2015 will be the year of ebola. Every news story will be at least partially tinged with references to how it affects or is affected by the fight against ebola. Stock up on survival supplies, water purification, protective equipment, and air filters now, while there's still time.

That's quite a prediction, do you know something that the rest of us don't?

 

[sgreen3]

The US needs to be more concerned with all the newly emerging Multi Drug Resistant (MDRO) bacteria that are coming more an more prevalent. They will end up causing us more harm in the foreseeable future than Ebola. Probably no one will agree with this statement but I see it on a daily basis.

 

[zippy23]

This could have been prevented. So why wasnt it? Why arent we protecting our people? Because the people in power dont see it that way. They see it as our responsibility to help everyone else because we are fat and rich from stealing their resources and enslaving people in the past. This will ONLY get worse. The people in power will not help the situation, they will deliberately make it worse. Scrapping CDC guidelines, not shutting down flights from those countries, etc. Its amazing, the people in power are willing to risk killing citizens on this country for their ideology. Prepare

 

[tonybia]

The US needs to be more concerned with all the newly emerging Multi Drug Resistant (MDRO) bacteria that are coming more an more prevalent. They will end up causing us more harm in the foreseeable future than Ebola. Probably no one will agree with this statement but I see it on a daily basis.

Having recently worked in an ICU where the CDC is actively directly monitoring several new MDRO in patients, I can agree with you. Notice the "recently worked" part. I just could not see leaving myself at risk to these new MDRO's that are emerging and spreading. Several are very nasty-- one in particular can last for 1 year on hard surfaces, soft surfaces and skin and still remain viable for infection and reproduction. There is a reason the CDC stated in 2013 that we have reached the end of antibiotics. Right now many of these "nasties" are only is chronically ill people but I can really see them jumping to "healthy" people soon and with a deadly ferocity. It might not be Ebola this time, but something in the virus/bacteria soup will soon jump out and be the "monster' at our front doors.

 

[Justus]

This could have been prevented. So why wasnt it? Why arent we protecting our people? Because the people in power dont see it that way. They see it as our responsibility to help everyone else because we are fat and rich from stealing their resources and enslaving people in the past. This will ONLY get worse. The people in power will not help the situation, they will deliberately make it worse. Scrapping CDC guidelines, not shutting down flights from those countries, etc. Its amazing, the people in power are willing to risk killing citizens on this country for their ideology. Prepare

Does anyone else remember those late night commercials about UN population control in the 90s?

 

[WebSnyper]

like I've said in another thread, seal off the area of concern, and let the stupid sort itself out. Cold and uncaring? Sure, whatever makes you feel better about yourself, but this world will reach/has reached a time when things need to be done that most don't have the stomach for. IMHO.....of course.

I agree with this. I don't understand why the US is not restricting travel.

The US needs to be more concerned with all the newly emerging Multi Drug Resistant (MDRO) bacteria that are coming more an more prevalent. They will end up causing us more harm in the foreseeable future than Ebola. Probably no one will agree with this statement but I see it on a daily basis.

I agree with this one as well. Overuse of antibiotics, partially completed treatment regiments, little/no new research in antibiotics due to financial reasons, as well as concerns over vaccinations, are leading to this and other issues.

This could have been prevented. So why wasnt it? Why arent we protecting our people? Because the people in power dont see it that way. They see it as our responsibility to help everyone else because we are fat and rich from stealing their resources and enslaving people in the past. This will ONLY get worse. The people in power will not help the situation, they will deliberately make it worse. Scrapping CDC guidelines, not shutting down flights from those countries, etc. Its amazing, the people in power are willing to risk killing citizens on this country for their ideology. Prepare

Yep, too much PC going on and not enough practical realism.

Having recently worked in an ICU where the CDC is actively directly monitoring several new MDRO in patients, I can agree with you. Notice the "recently worked" part. I just could not see leaving myself at risk to these new MDRO's that are emerging and spreading. Several are very nasty-- one in particular can last for 1 year on hard surfaces, soft surfaces and skin and still remain viable for infection and reproduction. There is a reason the CDC stated in 2013 that we have reached the end of antibiotics. Right now many of these "nasties" are only is chronically ill people but I can really see them jumping to "healthy" people soon and with a deadly ferocity. It might not be Ebola this time, but something in the virus/bacteria soup will soon jump out and be the "monster' at our front doors.

Yep, and the panic it will cause will even cause more carnage.

 

[T.Lex]

From a WHO release on 6 October regarding ebola transmission:
WHO | What we know about transmission of the Ebola virus among humans

After stating the stuff we already know, and reaffirming sweat is generally not considered to contain the entire virus:

The Ebola virus can also be transmitted indirectly, by contact with previously contaminated surfaces and objects. The risk of transmission from these surfaces is low and can be reduced even further by appropriate cleaning and disinfection procedures.

And, an interesting, rather direct, counterpoint to the idea that a mutation may change the mode of transmission:

Moreover, scientists are unaware of any virus that has dramatically changed its mode of transmission. For example, the H5N1 avian influenza virus, which has caused sporadic human cases since 1997, is now endemic in chickens and ducks in large parts of Asia.


That virus has probably circulated through many billions of birds for at least two decades. Its mode of transmission remains basically unchanged.

Speculation that Ebola virus disease might mutate into a form that could easily spread among humans through the air is just that: speculation, unsubstantiated by any evidence.


This kind of speculation is unfounded but understandable as health officials race to catch up with this fast-moving and rapidly evolving outbreak.

It must also be recognized that, since they are using statistical studies, there may be a lag if there is a change to the mode of transmission and may not reflect current evidence.

It also doesn't explain why so many more medical professionals have been infected.

 

[1775usmarine]

At least with ebola we can thin the population back down to numbers where we can feed and provide water to everyone right? That's what people are preaching about? How our world population is getting so huge we can no longer provide fresh water and food to people. I would consider ebola a blessing then if I were these people.

 

[sgreen3]

Having recently worked in an ICU where the CDC is actively directly monitoring several new MDRO in patients, I can agree with you. Notice the "recently worked" part. I just could not see leaving myself at risk to these new MDRO's that are emerging and spreading. Several are very nasty-- one in particular can last for 1 year on hard surfaces, soft surfaces and skin and still remain viable for infection and reproduction. There is a reason the CDC stated in 2013 that we have reached the end of antibiotics. Right now many of these "nasties" are only is chronically ill people but I can really see them jumping to "healthy" people soon and with a deadly ferocity. It might not be Ebola this time, but something in the virus/bacteria soup will soon jump out and be the "monster' at our front doors.

The MDRO organisms are very real and all over now. Its way more of an immediate threat than some of the nasty virus although they should not be over looked. Two species of bacteria in particular Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are two of the worst. I see them everyday and now seeing them with major resistance to carbapenem based antibiotics (the strongest antibiotics a doc can use a "last resort" drug). Once that happens there is literally almost nothing a Dr can do other than treat symptoms. Its a very scary thought... A world without antibiotics... An its becoming a vast reality.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

It must also be recognized that, since they are using statistical studies, there may be a lag if there is a change to the mode of transmission and may not reflect current evidence.

It also doesn't explain why so many more medical professionals have been infected.

It is precisely because Ebola zaire et al. are RNA-based that makes it very possible to eventually alter itself enough to change its resistance to decay by sunlight and maintenance of virulence - ebola lacks the ability to correct for its own mutations, which is estimated to occur once per thousand base-pairs of RNA. Thus, once a change is made, until and unless that change is altered by another mutative change in the RNA, it's there for good. Contrast that with DNA replication, in which mutations are actively and passively corrected as much as possible to preserve itself. RNA-based inability to correct mutations is the primary cause of antigenic drift in the common influenza virus. It is very possible that any particular mutation within ebola's replication could make it more virulent and more resistant to decay, giving it the ability to infect others via short or intermediate distances. Do we need to drive ourselves insane with the prospect? No. But it is a distinct possibility. Mutations happen often; some with positive externalities and some with negative externalities. Only time and genomic sequencing will say for certain.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

The MDRO organisms are very real and all over now. Its way more of an immediate threat than some of the nasty virus although they should not be over looked. Two species of bacteria in particular Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are two of the worst. I see them everyday and now seeing them with major resistance to carbapenem based antibiotics (the strongest antibiotics a doc can use a "last resort" drug). Once that happens there is literally almost nothing a Dr can do other than treat symptoms. Its a very scary thought... A world without antibiotics... An its becoming a vast reality.

Carbapenem-resistant klebsiellae is popping up all over the country - usually in healthcare settings. The short era of man's futile attempt to exert dominance over nature is rapidly approaching its predestined outcome.

 

[sgreen3]

I was going to mention the KPC (Klebs Pneumoniae carbapenamase) although not yet as common as the other MDROs mentioned, this one is popping up little by little. This also goes along with any of the MYSPACE organisms as well becoming more of a serious problem than they normally are.

 

[sgreen3]

An yes with the speed that these organisms have to reproduce, developing a resistance is not really that tough. That's why its so important to not run to the Dr an demand an antibiotic every time someone has a caught or a sneeze. An when u do get an antibiotic to take the full course don't stop even if u feel better until its all gone. But I agree in the end nature always wins.

 

[dusty88]

From a WHO release on 6 October regarding ebola transmission:
WHO | What we know about transmission of the Ebola virus among humans

After stating the stuff we already know, and reaffirming sweat is generally not considered to contain the entire virus:


And, an interesting, rather direct, counterpoint to the idea that a mutation may change the mode of transmission:

You don't need a major mutation, ie change of mode of transmission for it to become a bigger problem. Increased survival on fomites, increased virulence, etc can all affect the transmission.

The other concern is not knowing exactly what the natural reservoir is. Bats aren't fitting the profile completely, so there may still be unknown insect or arthropod species.

For example, the increase in tickborne disease in this country has little to do with the tickborne diseases themselves (Anaplasmosis, Erhlichiosis, Lyme, and RMSF). It's more about the way the whitetail deer were repopulated, causing tick species to have new ranges. It's often the "what we don't know and didn't even anticipate" that brings us trouble.

 

[dusty88]

Carbapenem-resistant klebsiellae is popping up all over the country - usually in healthcare settings. The short era of man's futile attempt to exert dominance over nature is rapidly approaching its predestined outcome.

I agree with the concerns on antibiotic resistance.

IMO, one of the best ways to slow this problem is often overlooked: stay out of the hospital if you can.

An interesting tidbit is that every case of MRSA seen in a dog, is a dog that belongs to a human healthcare worker.

Sometimes you need a hospital, but we spend untold billions for unnecessary procedures, or trying to solve problems that people could manage through diet and lifestyle. Minimizing our rotations through hospitals (as well as of course minimizing unnecessary antibiotic use) might reduce the development and spread of these bacteria.

 

[cosermann]

I'll just leave this here: Ebola victims without symptoms can still be contagious

 

[T.Lex]

I'll just leave this here: Ebola victims without symptoms can still be contagious

Oh. Snap.

 

[irishanimal917]

Ebola, as scary and fatal a disease as it is, wouldn't spread very fast in the West. They are lacking basic sanitation and common sense in medical practice in most of the places it pops up. It passes by contact with bodily fluids. "It's not airborne" or waterborne, so it can't spread if you are careful (and it isn't as fatal with even basic medical care, let alone some of the treatments they are rolling out). It will be devastating to sub-Saharan Africa, but not so much for North America and Europe.

If it's "not airborne" the why did the Canadian CDC alter it's published info on the subject? I know it says suspected and that the argument will be made that it was possible that they no longer believe it but there had to be a definitive reason for them to suspect it in the 1st place...

 

[irishanimal917]

I never thought of me as a conspiracy theorist, but so much effort is being placed in the wrong directions and it makes no sense at all.
The attached article about us sending US troops to "fight" the virus......say what!
Unless they are going to burn the infected villages, what else can they do?

I cannot help but feel that it is designed to bring back the virus, you have that many soldiers over there, some are going to get infected.
I feel like this is a way to reduce recruits, why would someone volunteer to serve if they are being sent into a virus infected area.

This administration hates our military, what a great way to destroy it.

More U.S. troops being sent to battle Ebola

Agreed, 10 Fold!!!!!!!!!!

WTH are we doing sending our troops over to W. Africa to help for? It is not their place to be there when they are clearly not "trained and certified" Scientists, Doctors, Nurses, PA's, Emergency workers, CDC Personnel or HAZMAT Personnel! It sickens me to DEATH that they are being put in harms way for no damn reason at all! And NO, humanitarian reason is not valid in my opinion! They should send their own soldiers and people to take care of whatever it is that's needing done where simple man power is concerned.

101st Airborne soldiers gear up to fight Ebola outbreak

 

[churchmouse]

This whole thing could be contained if the quarantined that entire area. Get it under control or just contain it. Study it and get a vaccination prepared for it.
That will work until mother nature develops another crowd/population control medium.

Africa has given us so many wonderful gifts. HIV/AIDS....now Ebola....whats next.......