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Judith Anne,

I hadn't read up on this thread for a couple of days but, it looks like this new information may have brought us back full circle to my question to Kelly_2000 on post 1322 of the first Marburg Surveillance Project Thread..."
Kelly_2000 I am directing this to you as your specific knowledge base and background on the topic is superb. However, input from everyone (FReeper brain trust) is vital.

I haven't been able to post for a couple of days but I have been following the discussion. Kelly_2000 in your post 1217 to redoglum you stated in part, '...it is Marburg and something entirely new.' I have been thinking back to my post 1076 on 5/16/2005 and was extrapolating the possible interconnectivity between Marburg, Ebola and H5N1 based on the articles posted on post 1076. The response was that this is Marburg. I don't disagree but what is being reported is Marburg evidently of a nature that is "different".

One of the big questions about this outbreak is the reclassification of cases. The question is what are the Marburg cases being reclassified FROM or vice versa? Evidently there are more cases - of something - with the Marburg cases being the reported cases. One of the URL's I posted on post 1076 referred to Dr. Niman requesting tests for H5N1. To me this indicates that even the symptoms were / are suspicious and had / have the possibility of being H5N1. Again, other cases have been reclassified. The general reference of these reclassification cases anticipates that deaths occurred.

In doing additional research something caught my eye about Marburg and Ebola. Some research shows the VP40 matrix protein is the cause for the filobrius (sp?) nature of these viruses. If I have read correctly the H5N1 also has a filobrius appearance.

Now, the questions for your technical expertise, could the VP40 matrix protein be introduced into the H5N1 virus naturally or otherwise? If so, might it not be difficult to distinguish the resultant virus?"

I think the word you want is "filovirus" with "filo" meaning "threadlike."

Marburg, Ebola, and Avian Flu are all RNA viruses; I think what was being said in the recombinomics post 694 from xVIer is that if, for instance, the same patient has influenza virus plus Ebola virus at the same time, the two could recombine and produce something much worse than either...On the gene chain, there are sequences that are similar in each.

There have been intimations of this before, yours was one, there were others. I ignored those hints, because there was no real information like the boxun articles first, and because I just didn't want to think about it, second.

Mea culpa.

I find the boxun articles credible.

Hi infominer sorry I was not in the USA when you sent that post I was on a field trip

"One of the big questions about this outbreak is the reclassification of cases

This will remain an mystery until the data is published in a report or white paper or peer review. it's not my field so I cannot comment yet. I suspect that aside from molecular variation with this strain a history of polymorphisms can be observed by looking at sequence variations. It depends on the thoroughness of the harvesting of samples throughout the outbreak and prior quality of reference database materials also if there is an index case patient located.

The reclassification IMO is based on a desire to reduce numbers not correctly classify each case by isolate.It also depends on the methodology being used to identify the agent. Is the test clinical diagnosis? ELISA, immunohistochemistry, isolation, or PCR? who knows. Based on the poor controls and protocol history I would even hazard a guess and say they may be testing for antibodies (IgM and IgG)in patients, which would lead to false positives AND negatives, it is supposed to be used as a test for a recovering patient weeks after they become asymptomatic or can be used retrospectively for deceased patients. "could the VP40 matrix protein be introduced into the H5N1 virus naturally or otherwise?"

A short answer to this one, no and I think your understanding of the relationship of VLP in Ebola lifecycle is erroneous, take a look at a google search for VLP or VP40 matrix proteins it will help. I also think Judith corrected your impression of morphology / taxonomy " filobrius"

Thanks for posting and commenting sorry it's not the answer you where looking for ;-)