Posted on 08/28/2014 6:50:37 PM PDT by alexmark1917
DNA sequences reveal Ebola’s spread and mutation
The virus was not recognized in West Africa until March of this year, however, when the first case was confirmed in Guinea. Gire said the West African epidemic likely began after a single zoonotic event — in other words, transmission of the virus from an animal to a person.
Gire said his study shows that more than 300 mutations have occurred since Ebola began infecting people in Sierra Leone. Every time a virus passes from one person to another, it is likely some mutations will occur, though not all of them will be passed down.
http://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/4804151-dna-sequences-reveal-ebola-s-spread-and-mutation/
Published Online August 28 2014: Genomic surveillance elucidates Ebola virus origin and transmission during the 2014 outbreak
Phylogenetic comparison to all 20 genomes from earlier outbreaks suggests the 2014 West African virus likely spread from Middle Africa within the last decade. Rooting the phylogeny using divergence to other ebolavirus genomes is problematic (Fig. 2A and fig. S6) (6, 13). However, rooting the tree on the oldest outbreak reveals a strong correlation between sample date and root-to-tip distance, with a substitution rate of 8x10−4/site/year (Fig. 2B and fig. S7) (13). This suggests that the lineages of the three most recent outbreaks all diverged from a common ancestor at roughly the same time c. 2004 (Fig. 2C and Fig. 3A), supporting the hypothesis that each outbreak represents an independent zoonotic event from the same genetically diverse viral population in its natural reservoir.
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2014/08/27/science.1259657.full
There you go. Academic admission that this strain is mutating and probably will continue to across its spread.
Research biology texts to understand the probability and time it takes viruses to mutate successfully. It is very rare, but now we have this admission, and keep in mind the DHHS bid pertaining to the Congo posted above:
13 Probable Ebola Deaths & 565 Suspect In DR Congo
· Declaration of the epidemic by the Minister of Public Health August 24, 2014 · 13 people died of the disease (CFR 54%), including five health workers, about 24 cases suspects (16 women and 8 men) · 11 people segregated · 24 cases (16 women and 8 men) of Ebola virus disease outbreak in the area of health Boende, from July 28 to August 18, 2014 · 80 contacts identified for monitoring · 4 positive samples from eight after a second analysis INRB · 565 suspected cases investigated with gastroenteritis, diarrhea and vomiting. · Index case identified Ikanamongo (100 km Boende): a woman who died on August 11 after consuming bushmeat hunted by her husband and that has contaminated your doctor and husband. · yet unidentified strain between Zaire and Sudan. Awaiting the results from the laboratory in Franceville (Gabon).
The confirmation of Ebola after 13 cases have died and a total case load approaching 600 raises concerns about the spread of the virus, as well as the relationship to Zaire, Sudan, and a recombinant strain.
http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.it/2014/08/13-probable-ebola-deaths-565-suspect-in.html
re·com·bi·nant
1. An organism or cell in which genetic recombination has taken place. 2. Material produced by genetic engineering. adj. 1. Formed by or showing recombination: a recombinant chromosome. 2. Of or relating to recombinant DNA: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/recombinant%20strain
Recombinant inbred strain
A recombinant inbred strain (or recombinant inbred line) is an organism with chromosomes that incorporate an essentially permanent set of recombination events between chromosomes inherited from two or more inbred strains http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombinant_inbred_strain
So where in CDC literature is there a test sequenced for this strain? --- Hospitals certainly do not have it, and the blood tests specify on markers, so...look at this article:
CDC: 30 States Plus D.C. Have Requested Help with Possible Ebola Cases http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/08/21/CDC-30-States-Plus-D-C-Have-Requested-Help-with-Possible-Ebola-Cases
...Check Lagos, Nigeria: (LOS) Murtala Muhammed Airport Departures http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightStatus/flightStatusByAirport.do;jsessionid=21A4DCF66B4D3BACBD3F06BBE81DCD90.web3:8009?airportCode=LOS&airportQueryType=0
Here is what they might be vectoring:
EBOLA SCARE: FG shuts schools till October 13 http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-scare-fg-shuts-schools-till-october-13/
NIH Wants Blood From 'NATURALLY' Exposed Ebola Survivors in Congo
Referring if "it" is natural or not. Now cross research the dead Nigerian Sawyer -- who lived in Minnesota and ISIS recruiting in Minnesota. Large population of West Africans reside there.
Local reports show locals fearful of touching ANYTHING an infected person has touched. (Think airports.) There hasn't been much visual recording of victims in this. Here are some recent, and a couple of weeks ago.
One GLP empirical study that can conducted over the next 3 weeks -- to see if the virus(es) are aerosol or not, is if to see if ABC's Dr. Richard Besser dies or not after the 3 week incubation period. But that is not full proof, as that area might not have been affected at the moment.
Inside Liberian Ebola Ward with Burial Team http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/inside-liberian-ebola-ward-burial-team-25155405
Beside medical staff dying from Ebola, we now have investigative journalists!
Five Authors of Ebola Paper Published Today Have Died of Ebola http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/08/28/ebola_paper_authors_died_five_victims_contributed_to_research.html
I think we’re gonna wind up with carriers.
bttt
I miss that guy.
It’s never, in recorded history, undergone as many human to human infections. It’s figuring us out. Only the most efficient genomes at infecting humans will be selected with each transmission. As such it will likely mutate massively before it’s all said and done.
I have wondered privately if the reason all the western medicos have pulled all their people from a particular region of Sierra Leone is a suspicion that if not totally airborne it’s very nearly so in the mutation pool in that particular area.
Just a suspicion.
Watch out for the bush meat.
Thanks for posting. Very, very interesting. Health/life BUMP!
I’m glad you like it.
A link to this thread has been posted on the Ebola Surveillance Thread
Bring Out Your Dead
Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.
The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.
So far the false positive rate is 100%.
At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.
*sigh* Such is life, and death...
It doesn’t usually get into cities.
The development in Africa is causing the virus to move swiftly from the hiding places in the jungles to the cities.
In the past it would hit a town and wipe it out. But because of the “isolation” the fire burned out quickly.
The development of Africa and the death released through Ebola is reminiscent of how smallpox ravaged America just prior to the arrival of the Europeans.
Link?
There you go. Academic admission that this strain is mutating and probably will continue to across its spread.
All infectious organisms mutate... well, I should be more clear. All organisms mutate, every time they reproduce. That process is called "evolution" and is a feature of life. So there is no "admission" here, merely a documentation of what we already know occurs. We expect viruses to mutate--even within a single patient during the course of a single infection, viruses have been documented to mutate.
A recombinant inbred strain (or recombinant inbred line) is an organism with chromosomes that incorporate an essentially permanent set of recombination events between chromosomes inherited from two or more inbred strains http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recombinant_inbred_strain
I wish to point out that because of the physical characteristics of the Ebola genome, recombination is highly unlikely to occur. For one thing, recombination takes place between homologous double stranded DNA molecules, but Ebola does not use DNA, not even as an intermediate. Influenza can recombine readily because each of its 8 genes are located on a separate piece of RNA genetic material, so influenza viruses just swap pieces with each other. However, Ebola has all of its 7 genes contained on the same strand of genetic material (RNA), so has no separate pieces to swap. [Note: I have said Ebola has 8 genes in previous posts. This was an error; it has 7.] Thus, even if two slightly different Ebola viruses infect a single host, they would not be able to trade genes the way influenza does. Therefore, the only way Ebola can take on new characteristics (such as the ability to spread through aerosols, the one that has everyone worried) is through mutation--a slower process than recombination.
The authors of the Science article were absolutely correct when they said that the longer this outbreak continues, the more likely it is to mutate to a more transmissible form.
Beside medical staff dying from Ebola, we now have investigative journalists!
Five Authors of Ebola Paper Published Today Have Died of Ebola
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/08/28/ebola_paper_authors_died_five_victims_contributed_to_research.html
Actually, the five who died were most likely the healthcare workers who cared for the patients and took the blood samples. They were not journalists. I doubt many journalists are allowed into patient care areas.
The research so far suggests that the virus clears after a period of time. There is some residual virus in bodily fluids up to several weeks after infection, but once it is gone, the patient is no longer contagious.
A “See this” ping.
We need your expertise when the panic starts spiking around here. Thanks for your answers in 14 and 15.
You’re welcome.
The best way to contain this is through accurate and timely information. I do my bit to help.
God bless you.
Why is that an "admission"? It's expected behavior.
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