Samaritan’s Purse Doctor Recovered from Ebola

Samaritan's Purse ^ | 8/21/14

[condi2008]

Dr. Kent Brantly, the Samaritan’s Purse doctor who contracted Ebola while caring for patients in Liberia, will be released from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta today after completing his recovery from the deadly virus.

[Vermont Lt]

I imagine that they have done significant blood tests to ensure that he is not contagious.

While I think people are insane to go to Africa, I do not think the Drs at Emory are insane. You would have to be insane to let a dangerous carrier out onto the street.

And to give some perspective on the “testicular” issues, when they were doing tests on mice at the Army labs, the testes grew to the size of golf balls.

On a mouse.

I am reminded of a South Park episode.

[Smokin' Joe]

In this case, the recovered patients have been known to still carry the virus for weeks, and even to infect others. Men carry the virus in their testicles even after they have recovered, and have been known to infect their wives with the disease weeks later.

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping...

A link to this thread has been posted on the Ebola Surveillance Thread

[C. Edmund Wright]

Well I’m not sure why he was released, unless he really didn’t have Ebola. Also, the historical 90% mortality rate seems to have been reduced to 50-50 now. Still horrible.

But again, this is why I said I was just speculating…..

[Smokin' Joe]

There are two major differences in his case: one, he was transfused with the blood from a survivor. Whether that conveyed any immunity or resistance is anyone's guess. The other is the administration of an experimental drug. The nurse who was infected, too, also got the drug, and h=is recovering. Natural resistance may be a factor as well, just something in their genetics.

It would be rank speculation to say either way. They might just be the one or two in ten who do not die, statistically speaking.

[Smokin' Joe]

As sort of a PS, I'd be a mite leery of statistics at this point. There are strong economic incentives to NOT have any cases, to diminish the severity of any outbreak in official communications, and there is difficulty in even keeping track of the bodies in some areas.

There are many cultural factors, including a distrust of western medicine and westerners as well which complicate matters, and the veracity and accuracy of the statistics is limited to a best-case scenario.

It is highly probable that the numbers of infected and dead exceed the official numbers, perhaps significantly.

[PapaBear3625]

Well I’m not sure why he was released, unless he really didn’t have Ebola. Also, the historical 90% mortality rate seems to have been reduced to 50-50 now. Still horrible.

It might just be that the mortality rate is 90% under African medical care, and 50-50 under first-tier US health care.

[Colonel_Flagg]

She’s writing a atrongly worded note.

[grania]

I'm not sure why he was released, unless he really didn't have Ebola

It is surprising. The disease must have changed in some significant ways, since more people are surviving and it's spread quite rapidly.

I wonder how the medical professionals in charge can be so confident, when their protocals are no longer adequate to stop Ebola spreading from people supposedly protected from it.

[BwanaNdege]

My post #16 on this thread pretty much sums it up….

Yes it does! A bit of delay in my posting my query.

Thank you.

[BwanaNdege]

In this case, the recovered patients have been known to still carry the virus for weeks, and even to infect others. Men carry the virus in their testicles even after they have recovered, and have been known to infect their wives with the disease weeks later.

Since so very few patients HAVE recovered and those probably NOT the recipients of extensive post recover testing, I would be grateful if you could provide a link to document your assertion.

[C. Edmund Wright]

…and one I don’t agree with….

[Colonel_Flagg]

Superb post.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Mine? Or hers?

[AustinBill]

By definition, “quarantine” is two weeks...

Actually no. The term originates from the 17th century Italian quaranta meaning 40, and was the isolation protocol used for ships to combat the Black Death.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Yours. I was pretty vocal about Coulter too on those threads.

[Smokin' Joe]

I really have better things to do after a 14 hour workday than search for you. You can find the link(s) in here Ebola Surveillance thread

[Smokin' Joe]

A lab worker who contracted Ebola was still shedding the virus in his semen for 61 days after he recovered, according to the World Health Organization. And the Marburg virus, which is closely related to Ebola, shows up in semen 12 weeks after someone recovers, according to a 1971 study.

There are numerous other references a web search would provide you..This one is at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/07/ebola-sex-transmission-bodily-fluids_n_5658151.html

And another:

http://www.brettrussell.com/personal/after_recovery_are_you_still_c.html

[Smokin' Joe]

Also here http://www.who.int/ith/updates/20140421/en/ Scroll down to bullet point 3.1.1. the third dot down (bullet point 3)

Sorry to be crabby, but I'm tired. Good night.

[ansel12]

Ann Coulter revealed the darkness of her soul in that column, I think many people will never see her the same anymore.