Ebula in Africa

[crockett]

another outbreak of Ebula in Africa, duno about you guys but that stuff scares the hell out of me... way more than Antrax


Ebula in Africa

[ClubMed]

I read a medical book about the effects of Ebola on its host, I’m understating when I say it was sick.

The host is literally liquefied. As far as I can remember Ebola kills 90% of its hosts. There are various strains of the virus with differing effects on the host.

If Ebola ever becomes an epidemic it would a serious threat to our civilization. IMO

[[Neo770]]

Yep, outbreaks like that scare me a bit as well.

Yep a few years ago I read the book Outbreak (?)
The one based on what could happen if:
It started true incident, an infected monkey in quarnteen in the DC area,
but, expounded on what could have happened if the monkey escaped.
The other one I read, and sorry the name escapes me.. (maybe Ebula?)
(it's prolly filed in XP that's why I can't find it)
Was true accounts of outbreaks in africa and the death and destruction.

It is definatley more horrible than most could imagine.
I agree with club med, an un contained out break would make the Black Death Plague in Europe during the middle ages look like the measles.

No one left to sing "Ring around the Rosie"

[crockett]

yea it's very scary.. lets just be glad it generally only shows its self in the outskirts of Africa. The way the world is now with air travel, if it happend in even a remotely high traffic city in Africa.. what is in Africa today could be in New York or England (ect) tomorrow

[nodnerb2]

Hi,
Just in case anyone has recently been to Gabon here's a list of how the fever progresses.

What are the symptoms of Ebola hemorrhagic fever?
The signs and symptoms of Ebola HF are not
the same for all patients. The table below outlines symptoms of the disease, according to
the frequency with which they have been reported in known cases.
Time Frame
Symptoms that occur in
most Ebola patients
Symptoms that occur in
some Ebola patients
Within a few days of becoming
infected with the virus:
high fever, headache, muscle
aches, stomach pain, fatigue, diarrhea
sore throat, hiccups, rash,
red and itchy eyes, vomiting blood, bloody diarrhea
Within one week of becoming
infected with the virus:
chest pain, shock, and death
blindness, bleeding

Cheers

Nodnerb2

[^hyd^]

hello, I had a good book that was all about this too! Here's what I remember: (when I find the book I'll post the name, it's in storage right now...)

There's 2 strains of Ebola:

Ebola Zaire and Ebola Sudan
Zaire has over 90% death rate
Sudan has over 60% death rate

death occurs within around 2 weeks of contracting the disease.
and as club_med says, it's sick! very sick!

there's also a sister strain, but can't remember the name, it's slightly different name, but very similar effects...

this is all from long ago memory so could be off a little, but I'm pretty sure it's close!

gonna go look for that book now!! I've wanted to reread it for awhile...

cya!

Edit-> grrrr, looked for the book but no luck... maybe my roomy has it...

[Ritalin Kid]

You wouldn't happen to be talking about "The Hot Zone" would you? I remember reading up on that way back in the day and the strain that affected the monkies in D.C. only affected monkies and not humans but they still took the same precautions when handling it just in case the strain mutated. Oh but I can see it now... this is exactly what the media needs to do.. make a big deal about an even more deadly virus than Anthrax so that we might give terrorists a better idea of what to send us in the mail next. =p

[fatal xception]

One great book is "The Comming Plague". The author won a Pulitzer prize for the book.

Ebola one main disadvantage (advantage for us) is that it kills too quick and it isn't airborne. It generally kills within 3 to 4 days which prevents it from becoming an epidemic. Plus it is only transmittable through bodily fluids (which is why the blood becomes "hot" with the virus) which also impedes transmission.

One quick note. The book also mentions Marburg, another hemorrhagic fever. That appeared in a monkey quarantine station. This was airborne but the trait that made it airbore prevented humans from catching it. Funny twist of fate.

Have a great day.

[fatal xception]

One quick addition to the last post.

The book not only covers Ebola, but also Hanta virus, Marburg, Toxic Shock, Legionnaires disease, AIDS, Lasa, Yellow fever, etc. You know...light reading.