Posted on 10/20/2014 12:22:27 PM PDT by TangledUpInBlue
As alarming as that number of changes may seem, viruses mutate when they replicate all the time. When viruses replicate, which is what they do inside a person they've infected, they make copies of their own genetic material.
When making these genetic copies, RNA viruses like Ebola are "notoriously bad" at doing so accurately, according to Vincent Racaniello, a Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons.
"Notoriously bad" here means that they mutate a lot, which can be good for the virus if a change makes the organism better able to survive.
In the case of Ebola viruses, this may explain why different Ebola Zaire outbreaks have had different fatality rates — though many prior outbreaks have been too small to be provide accurate fatality rate data. Dangerous Mutations
Even without going airborne, there are potentially frightening Ebola mutations.
Peter Jahrling, chief scientist at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, recently told Vox that he thinks it's possible that this strain could be more virulent than in the past — that the virus is replicating more rapidly, meaning there are more viral particles in every drop of bodily fluid.
Ebola is already highly infectious — only a tiny amount of virus is needed to catch it, and one-fifth of a teaspoon of blood may already contain 10 billion viral particles. An increased viral load could make transmission even easier, though direct contact with body fluids would still be a necessary condition.
Another scary possibility is that the proteins in the virus recognized by our immune system could change.
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
Imagine winter preserving the flies instead of killing them, and the flies getting busy when thawed.
Thanks for the links. Health/life BUMP!
SEN. TED CRUZ DISCUSSES EBOLA WITH CANDY CROWLEY
He responds with such common sense and leaves Candy speechless, just eager to go to another question.
Ted Cruz is presidential material.
http://www.nationalreview.com/node/390677/print
A link to this thread has been posted on the Ebola Surveillance Thread
CIGAR was Klintoon.
“We all know where this is leading.”
The lack of civilization and rule of law...yeah, it could get that bad.
The dead rising to eat us? Uh, not so much.
I agree about the Samurai sword. Stealth is important.
Thanks for the ping!
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...
You’re Welcome, Alamo-Girl!
Obama is risking the health of all Americans to push his executive amnesty agenda.
That’s another good reason for a travel ban. I’d hate to see this virus be the African version of Captain Trips.
Baby, can you dig your man?
bring out your dead...
He’s coming stu!
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