Posted on 08/15/2012 10:05:58 AM PDT by null and void
Taryn Hook with Larry, a beloved boa constrictor whose affliction prompted the lifelong keeper of reptiles to get in touch with a researcher who hunts down viruses.
Snake story
IBD afflicts pythons and boa constrictors, causing a host of strange symptoms. The snakes tie themselves in knots, they projectile vomit and engage in an eerie behavior called stargazing; the snakes raise their heads over and over, stare into thin air, and sway drunkenly from side to side.
... The scientists put out a call for samples of diseased and nondiseased snakes ... the Steinhart Aquarium ... had a sudden outbreak of IBD.
Many snakes, ... with and without IBD, had to be killed, providing the lab with plenty of ... tissue to start ... investigation.
...rifled through the genes of the dead snakes and soon had millions and millions of sequences. But to sort out which sequence might belong to any suspect viruses, he needed the ultimate genetic blueprint — the boa constrictor genome...
...A contest called Assemblathon 2 ... chose to take a stab at sequencing the red-tailed boa constrictor's genome, and Stenglein got his hands on the results.
Another wall
Juliet's kidney cells, growing in the lab. They continue to reproduce, allowing researchers to better study a newfound and mysterious virus. CREDIT: Mark Stenglein.
Frightening family tree
... it turns out the newfound virus has some dangerous relations. It looks like a mash-up of two different viruses that can jump from animals to humans, and cause diseases such as Lassa fever and Ebola.
... There's no evidence that the snake virus can affect humans. The fact that it refused to grow in any cells but a boa constrictor's suggests there is a strong species barrier that protects humans.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Thanks to both of you for the ping.
Is it: mouse/rat to mite to snake vector? Or
Mite to mouse/rat to snake?
In any case the mite as a vector seems to be very worrisome.
Snakes?
So now democrats are carriers of ebola?
Nahh, threats are only required for the Nut-Job Conspiracy Ping List.
Welcome to the BOYD list.
Great Post Bump!
Thanks....don’t get bit by any snakes....could be really bad for ones health.
Thanks for the ping!
You’re Welcome, Alamo-Girl!
Must be the snake that brings that out.
Didn’t Florida just have a colder snap? Wonder if it was cold enough to kill the snakes, as I have heard that they need it to be quite warm out or they die.
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