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To: Mmogamer

Ebola kills too quickly to be an epidemic threat. It’s certainly bad for those who get it, but it is self-limiting in that the host doesn’t usually live long enough to spread it to the general population. SARS, H5N1 influenza, and other contagious diseases have an incubatation period that exceeds a week and that allows for lots of time for a host to share his problem with a large amount of people.


13 posted on 01/07/2009 6:01:43 PM PST by BuffaloJack
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To: BuffaloJack

Unless it becomes airborne,,, then all bets are off.


14 posted on 01/07/2009 6:26:42 PM PST by Mmogamer (<This space for lease>)
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To: BuffaloJack

The problem with viruses is that they mutate very quickly. They can change in virulence and incubation in each infected individual. I agree that Ebola isn’t a threat in it’s current form. However there is a reason that health officials are keeping such a close eye on this virus. A couple minor mutations, and this could represent an epidemic threat. That is how viruses have managed to survive for so long. They are able to change faster than we are able to keep up with them.


15 posted on 01/07/2009 7:38:33 PM PST by ga medic
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