Ebola

DrHenley · #1 10-09-2014, 07:06 PM

I just got through reading The Hot Zone.

Stephen King said that chapter one of the book was "one of the most horrifying things I've read in my whole life."

Although a bit dated (published in 1995) it details (in great detail) what is known about Ebola and Marburg virus outbreaks up to that point. The Ebola Reston virus burned through a monkey facility in Reston VA like wildfire in 1989. You probably never heard about it...you'll have to read the book to find out why...

And you SHOULD read that book. And then you'll understand why the government is lying through their teeth.

guitargain · #2 10-09-2014, 07:28 PM

It seems like I read that book a long long time ago.

DrHenley · #3 10-09-2014, 09:52 PM

SPOILER ALERT!

Here is something interesting from the book. One of those things the gubbmint would rather you not think about...

This is the Ebola Zaire virus:

The Ebola Zaire virus has a fatality rate of 90% in humans.
The Ebola Zaire virus spreads by fluid contact and is not known to be airborne.

This is the Ebola Reston virus:

The Ebola Reston virus has a fatality rate of 0% in humans.
The Ebola Reston virus is airborne.

They look identical under an electron microscope. The difference between Ebola Zaire and Ebola Reston is one protein molecule in the chain (there are seven total). Ebola Reston is likely a very simple mutation of either Ebola Sudan or Ebola Zaire.

IF Ebola Zaire were to mutate to acquire the ability to go airborne without losing lethality to humans, we're looking at the potential for a global pandemic that boggles the mind.

Sweet dreams!

dwsmithjr · #4 10-11-2014, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHenley

I just got through reading The Hot Zone.

Stephen King said that chapter one of the book was "one of the most horrifying things I've read in my whole life."

Although a bit dated (published in 1995) it details (in great detail) what is known about Ebola and Marburg virus outbreaks up to that point. The Ebola Reston virus burned through a monkey facility in Reston VA like wildfire in 1989. You probably never heard about it...you'll have to read the book to find out why...

And you SHOULD read that book. And then you'll understand why the government is lying through their teeth.

Peter Piot was on the team that first encountered Ebola, studied it and named it.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...-a-993111.html

dwsmithjr · #5 10-11-2014, 08:10 AM

A recent article by Reston.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/11/outbreak