[Paul R.]

Hi, Mom MD,

Can anyone answer these questions:

Is an incubation period of 2-21 days an unusually wide range of time for a disease to become symptomatic? (Basically, it’s a 10 to one ratio...)

Is it likely that genetic factors enter into the incubation period, resistance to the virus, etc.? Ie., maybe Duncan’s entire family is more resistant or tends toward longer incubation times, than some others (like the Texas healthcare worker)?

Are the mortality rates generally stated for individuals who become symptomatic? Is there any data on exposure vs. development of symptoms? Ie., how many people exposed, and at what level(s), typically become ill?

Perhaps persons from areas of the world (or descended from areas of the world) that Ebola or an Ebola-like virus has been around in for a long time* have better resistance to infection or development of symptoms?

*I know Ebola has only been “recognized” since 1976, but who knows how long it has actually been around...

I know some of these are probably “dumb” questions, but better to ask than stay ignorant... :-)

[jetson]

Is it likely that genetic factors enter into the incubation period, resistance to the virus, etc.? Ie., maybe Duncan’s entire family is more resistant or tends toward longer incubation times, than some others (like the Texas healthcare worker)?"

Mutating to adjust to all of the sweet white meat here in the USA.

[bgill]

Yes, it’s been speculated that West Africans may have a gene or have built up immunities to the virus. When it hits Americans who have never had exposure to it, it’s going to hit very, very hard.