Ebola Outbreak

[judas]

I see a Liberian has died in a Nigerian Airport.

Is it time to stop all flights out of Central Africa?

[Phil D. Rolls]

I see a Liberian has died in a Nigerian Airport.

Is it time to stop all flights out of Central Africa?

Depends whether you work for Big Pharma, or not. (No doubt somebody has developed a cure, just waiting to be tried out).

Sorry for the cynicism, and I'll probably end up eating my words, but they seem to come out with this "sky is falling" routine, every couple of years. They'll end up like that boy in the other fairy take, the one that cried "wolf".

edit: it's said that infection control procedures in the developed world should be enough to contain it.

[The_Todd]

I was half expecting you to suggest just sending a nuke.

[judas]

I was half expecting you to suggest just sending a nuke.

Well, I was kind of leading up to that.

I watched the movie 'Outbreak' starring Dustin Hoffman, several times. This makes me an expert on the Ebola Virus.

In the second scene, an infected village is razed by some kind of cruise missile, extinguishing the outbreak (but also the populus).

I was thinking perhaps, Liberia itself could be subjected to this method? It's radical, and might bend some folk out of shape, but as I told WHO in my letter of yesterday's date, I believe it would bring a swift end to the current crisis ;-)

[Phil D. Rolls]

Well, I was kind of leading up to that.

I watched the movie 'Outbreak' starring Dustin Hoffman, several times. This makes me an expert on the Ebola Virus.

In the second scene, an infected village is razed by some kind of cruise missile, extinguishing the outbreak (but also the populus).

I was thinking perhaps, Liberia itself could be subjected to this method? It's radical, and might bend some folk out of shape, but as I told WHO in my letter of yesterday's date, I believe it would bring a swift end to the current crisis ;-)

Must watch that film sometime, and see if it was funded by one of the big pharmaceutical companies. :wink:

[blackpoolhibs]

Not as bad, but my mate has TB and there's been 20 odd cases in Blackpool this year. He owns a bed and breakfast, so he could have contracted it from anyone, but its knocked him for six.

I thought that disease had gone years ago.

[Pretty Boy]

Not as bad, but my mate has TB and there's been 20 odd cases in Blackpool this year. He owns a bed and breakfast, so he could have contracted it from anyone, but its knocked him for six.

I thought that disease had gone years ago.

The long time that people are infectious, about 2 weeks, and increasing antibiotic resistance (about 8% of strains are resistant to one type of antibiotic and 2% to 2 or more and this is rising) means TB is making a bit of a comeback.

Antibiotic resistance is going to be a huge threat on the coming decade but no one seems unduly worried for some reason.

[Sylar]

The long time that people are infectious, about 2 weeks, and increasing antibiotic resistance (about 8% of strains are resistant to one type of antibiotic and 2% to 2 or more and this is rising) means TB is making a bit of a comeback.

Antibiotic resistance is going to be a huge threat on the coming decade but no one seems unduly worried for some reason.

Not entirely true.

The major UK Research Councils have recently pooled together and launched a massive pot of funding to allow people to look at antimicrobial research - how to detect it and how to overcome it.

We've recently applied for a large grant and were successful and I'd wager it's going to be a 'buzz' area of research in the next few years.

[RyeSloan]

Not entirely true. The major UK Research Councils have recently pooled together and launched a massive pot of funding to allow people to look at antimicrobial research - how to detect it and how to overcome it. We've recently applied for a large grant and were successful and I'd wager it's going to be a 'buzz' area of research in the next few years.

I honk the world assumes science will come up with the alternatives/answers...the huge and ever growing world of Biotech would suggest we may well do so...

[blackpoolhibs]

The long time that people are infectious, about 2 weeks, and increasing antibiotic resistance (about 8% of strains are resistant to one type of antibiotic and 2% to 2 or more and this is rising) means TB is making a bit of a comeback.

Antibiotic resistance is going to be a huge threat on the coming decade but no one seems unduly worried for some reason.

Aye, he's been indoors for the fortnight incubation period. And everyone who's been in contact have been tested, but he's absolutely shattered and can't do much at all.

The doc says he won't be right for about 6 months, saying that its better than we first thought when they found a shadow on his x ray.

[Pretty Boy]

Not entirely true.

The major UK Research Councils have recently pooled together and launched a massive pot of funding to allow people to look at antimicrobial research - how to detect it and how to overcome it.

We've recently applied for a large grant and were successful and I'd wager it's going to be a 'buzz' area of research in the next few years.

Sorry my post was poorly worded.

You're right of course, it's something the scientific community is starting to take very seriously but I'm not sure the potential seriousness of the situation has filtered down to the general public yet.

My girlfriends cousin is a GP and says she still sees at least 5 people a week demanding antibiotics for colds and flu or having tantrums because they are told they don't need antibiotics for mild bacterial infections.

The misuse of antibiotics in the developing world, especially India, and amongst farmers is also worrying.

[lapsedhibee]

TB is making a bit of a comeback

That was a really scary moment, until I twigged that you were only talking about a lethal disease.

[Pretty Boy]

If anyone is particularly interested in learning more about Ebola then I've just finished reading 'The Hot Zone' by Richard Preston.

It's about the origins, emergence and incidences of Ebola, Marburg, Sudan Virus, Ravn Virus and other hemorraghic fevers. I think the scariest 2 parts were the story abouy 2 infected monkeys used for animal testing being found infected with Reston Virus (a close relative of Ebola) only 15km from Washington DC. There's also a story of one of the 1st Ebola victims being placed on a commercial plane for transfer between 2 medical facilities in Africa whilst crippled with pain and fever and hemmoraghing from the eyes, he bleeds out and dies in a waiting room at a hospital at his destination.

The author traces the Ebola virus back to Kitum Cave in Kenya. The route to the cave takes in a road called the 'AIDs Highway' and there's speculation this is the area where HIV/AIDs first made the jump to humans and was spread by the long distance truck drivers who used the route.