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

To: nickcarraway

They seen to be using the phrase “genetic drift” in the wrong way, to mean mutation itself.

The disease has a large viral load, which gives it more opportunity to mutate. And of course when more and more people have it, it has an even better chance of mutation.

Genetic drift would mean one mutation or more become isolated from the rest and in effect start their own form of the disease in a particular spot or situation.


24 posted on 09/04/2014 2:31:28 AM PDT by firebrand
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: firebrand

Not really. The term genetic drift is used to describe the fact that viruses isolated early in an outbreak are slightly different than viruses isolated later. Viruses even mutate within a single person during the course of a single infection.

By studying the genetic drift, researchers can determine if the outbreak started from a single zoonotic infection, or multiple infections from different zoonotic sources.


31 posted on 09/04/2014 3:39:23 AM PDT by exDemMom (Current visual of the hole the US continues to dig itself into: http://www.usdebtclock.org/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies ]

To: firebrand

Thank you for clearing that up, as I was confused by the writer’s use of the term.


41 posted on 09/04/2014 7:00:51 AM PDT by Bigg Red (31 May 2014: Obamugabe officially declares the USA a vanquished subject of the Global Caliphate.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies ]

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