Southern China is tropical while Northern China is not. Cargo ship traffic from Africa to Southern China was floated as a likely candidate.
Commentary
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Boxun Description of Ebola in China
Recombinomics Commentary
July 19, 2005
1. EB-SZ type: It was found in Shenzhen of South China. People contracted the virus showing severe illness, and they were infected through the contact of blood. Incubation period is 2-4 weeks. Some individual cases have incubation period up to 6 months. Some cases are asymptomatic. Those infected people's immunity drops suddenly that triggers other co-infections and complications. When non-Ebola virus related infections become severe, it could lead to diathesis from the major blood vessels. In severe cases, blood vessels disintegrate; muscular tissues became fluid-like; patients died of lack of oxygen due to haemorrhage. After the case die, the disintegration symptoms persist with the change of room temperature, ie above 12.4 degree Celcius. The process continues until the carcass completely disintegrates. The disintegration process slows down when temperature is lower than 8.7 degree Celcius; and the process halts at below 4 degree Celcius. Therefore, the best treatment for infected person is to use low temperature therapy. To treat the deceased cases, it is better to seal the body under low temperature. To disinfect the environment where the cases die has to use both high temperature disinfection and low temperature disinfection with the assistance of potent medication.
2. EB-ST type: It was found in Shantou of South China. People contracted the virus showing severe illness. Transmission is unknown. Incubation period: 30-120 days. Infected people have localized maculopapular rash. Cases occur in the form of diathesis in the smallest capillaries that lead to necrosis of the involved tissues. The characteristic of this virus is its intermittent exacerbation of the symptoms. This virus is suspected to be the mutated by-product of Ebola virus and other viruses. The confirmative diagnosis is usually made by the identification of EB-SZ-like virus in the tissues of deceased cases.
3. EB-HN type: It was found in Hunan of Central China. Transmission is unknown. Incubation is about 30-60 days. Infected cases experience discomfort due to the localized diathesis. After the disintegration of blood vessels, patients experience symptoms related to blood loss. Most of the deceased cases' heavily infected organs were in their lungs. If the blood vessels of the internal organs were infected, it will cause hepatic damage. Deceased case's face and bottom will disintegrate within 2-8 hours afterwards; their nails also fall apart. Autopsy found that the tissues of tendons were as soft as muscle. The deceased cases' blood are contagious. Contact through other means will not lead to infection of the virus.
4. EB-FJ type: It was found in Fujian province of South China. The virus was transmitted through the carrier's blood. Incubation period is about 20-30 days. Infected people will become immunocompromised that leads to influenza induced pneumonia and bleeding in the lungs. Subsequently, it leads to respiratory failure. Autopsy found that the vessels in the deceased cases' lung were fluid like; other tissues were normal. Deceased cases displayed purplish spots in their necks.
5. EB-ZJ type: It was found in Zhanjian of South China. Not much details on this virus subtype.
6. EB-SZ77 type: It was found in Shenzhen of South China (adjacent to Hong Kong). This virus could infect birds.
The above human translation of a boxun report raises serious questions about Ebola infections in China. It has not been independently confirmed and Ebola has not been reported outside of Africa. The above report offers no genetic details on the relationship between the above isolates and the various sequenced Ebola and Marburg isolates.
The boxun reports on H5N1 bird flu strains appear to be quite believable and are supported by China's refusal to allow WHO visit the recent sites of H5N1 infections in Xinjiang province as well as the refusal to share sequence data on isolates from the latest outbreak.
Other boxun documents indicate details of H5N1 and Ebola infections are considered state secrets, which clearly if true, is cause for concerns. China's recent actions of limiting access and distribution of strains and sequences increases the credibility of the boxun reports.
Moreover, H5N1 and Ebola have a region of sequence identity between HA and spike genes.