Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Ebola may have passed from a pig to a human
International Herald Tribune ^ | January 23, 2009 | Donald G. Mcneil Jr.

Posted on 01/25/2009 7:41:54 PM PST by neverdem

In the first known case of what may be transmission of the Ebola virus from a pig to a human, a pig handler in the Philippines has tested positive for a strain of the virus, world health officials and the Philippine government announced Friday.

But the strain — Ebola Reston — is not known to be dangerous to humans, and the worker, who was infected at least six months ago, is healthy, officials said.

The development is worrying because pigs are mixing vessels in which other viruses from humans and animals exchange genetic material, possibly creating strains that are more lethal or more infectious.

But Dr. Juan Lubroth, chief of animal health at the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, said there was "more need to investigate than to worry" and still many unanswered questions.

Ebola Reston, normally a monkey virus, was first found in pigs last year in the Philippines. Health authorities closed two farms and took blood samples from 6,000 pigs and 50 workers on the farms and in slaughterhouses. Only four pigs and the one worker tested positive, the Philippine health secretary, Francisco Duque, said at a news conference in Manila.

Dr. Lubroth said the first pigs tested were very sick, but turned out to have more than one infection, including a virulent reproductive and respiratory syndrome. ,The Ebola Reston may not have been what sickened them.

"But farmers, of course, would prefer to have pigs without Ebola," he said. "So we want to do more testing to see what they can do to protect them."

Broader sampling will determine, among other things, whether the disease is more common in pigs and humans than was known, whether it causes fever and how long its incubation period is...

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Testing
KEYWORDS: ebola; ebolareston; health; medicine; microbiology

1 posted on 01/25/2009 7:41:54 PM PST by neverdem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: neverdem
I knew it was Gore's fault!


2 posted on 01/25/2009 7:44:43 PM PST by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

Ebola Reston is airborne. If the pig sneezed and expelled virus particles, any nearby humans could easily breathe them in.


3 posted on 01/25/2009 7:55:45 PM PST by G8 Diplomat (The Middle East: We put the OIL in TURMOIL!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

I just read the headline and thought, “Damn perverted Muslims.” Is that about right? ;-)


4 posted on 01/25/2009 7:55:46 PM PST by Mogwai (Do you agree with me at least 100% of the time, or are you a troll?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mogwai

“Damn perverted Muslims.” Is that about right? ;-)

Yes, but it’s also redundant.

;-)

ISLAM DELENDA EST


5 posted on 01/25/2009 8:09:12 PM PST by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon freedom, it is essential to examine principles,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Already posted here:Filipino Infected with Ebola Reston Virus
6 posted on 01/25/2009 8:20:11 PM PST by nickcarraway (Are the Good Times Really Over?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway

Thanks for the link.


7 posted on 01/25/2009 8:25:06 PM PST by neverdem (Xin loi minh oi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: G8 Diplomat

There was a book published on the Ebola Reston outbreak back before 2000. Ebola Reston was called Reston because of the location of the identification of the strain.

It scared the bejeebers out of people because it was an airborne strain, and 90 percent lethal - to monkeys. The location was Reston, VA.

That’s the nightmare combo that CDC has been afraid of - an airborne strain of Ebola with high lethality.


8 posted on 01/25/2009 10:28:46 PM PST by RinaseaofDs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson