[null and void]

40 cases in the Congo is not cause for real fear. However, the Ebola virus strain recently found in pigs is very scary. Bacteria and viruses are rarely able to infect more than one species of animal. Judging by the article, this Ebola strain has been found in crab-eating macacques, primates, and pigs. That is scary indeed.

You missed the really bad news. Pigs are quite good at mixing and matching viral DNA, they are where new flu strains originate.

Airborne Ebola-flu, anyone?

[ga medic]

“Pigs are quite good at mixing and matching viral DNA”

You are right except about the DNA. Viruses do not have DNA. They reproduce by taking over living cells, and create copies generated from their RNA.

The difference is important because DNA has mechanisms to ensure that the code is copied correctly, which limits mutation. RNA does not have anything to ensure that the code is copied correctly. This results in numerous mutations or copy errors. Most of the mutations are harmful to the virus, but a small percent is actually neutral or helpful. This allows viruses to mutate at such a rapid rate.

Pigs are one of the few animals that can carry human borne viruses. If this is a human strain of Ebola, then it isn’t a big deal. If it is an animal borne strain, that isn’t adapted to humans it could be bad news.

[grey_whiskers]

Don't scare me like that.

No sarcasm.