I'm concerned but not panicked about ebola. They say that it is very simple to control, as it is not airborne. It is only transmitted via infected blood or bodily fluids. So, though it is possible for it to leave West Africa, it's unlikely modern western medical practices would let it get very far.

That being said, I am still interested in whether or not there are any blood type links (for example, are all of the survivors a particular blood type?). I know western Africa tends to be high in Duffy blood types, due to the prevalence of malaria and it's protectiveness. Curious if there's any Rh or ABO blood type links, as well.

I know it's pretty much a death sentence if you get it. But...curious.

duffy status varies

everyone has a duffy status, like secretor status

check out duffy
A double negative for Duffy would tend to indicate you are of African Heritage. A double negative is rare in other racial groups.
Duffy is tested with the anti Duffy antisera. It is tested the same way Lewis is tested only with different antisera.

the Duffy sera is made by immunising goats like the Lewis antisera.

Most people are Fy(a+b+)

Thanks for the explanation. I knew it was something like that.

It has a 50 to 90 percent fatality rate, depending on what strain it is. I read there are 5 strains currently out and about, and probably several others contained in labs or certain storage facilities.  The body's clotting ability goes to almost zero with internal and external hemorrhaging and dehydration the factors that make it deadly.

There is one tribe that seems to be immune to it and can be exposed without developing any symptoms I read.

Unless there is a historical record of entire African villages being wiped out, I don't think we should assume that it has plague-like potential. That being said, it is horrific, and doesn't bode well given our increasingly interconnected world. Every avenue of research funding should be opened to conquering this thing. It seems doable to me.

Importing Ebola seems like the worst possible choice.  At a 50 to 90 percent fatality, killing a whole village might not be the test you should use to evaluate.  It is a body fluid born virus, not completely unlike AIDS/HIV, with the contagious not being immediately evident.

Quoted Text

Ebola then spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids. Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness.

Even with some prior knowledge of the disease, does America need another AIDS-like epidemic?

Quoted from paul clucas

Importing Ebola seems like the worst possible choice.  At a 50 to 90 percent fatality, killing a whole village might not be the test you should use to evaluate.  It is a body fluid born virus, not completely unlike AIDS/HIV, with the contagious not being immediately evident.Even with some prior knowledge of the disease, does America need another AIDS-like epidemic?

Sorry, what I meant was that unless entire villages had previously been decimated, that would be some evidence that there was a natural resistance within some of the population. If it in fact exists, finding such a link would begin the salvos against this horrible thing.

50 to 90 percent fatality refers to those who've contracted the virus, but I'm wondering what would be the likelihood of contracting it?  I'm in total agreement that the last thing America needs is another AIDS-like epidemic. I'm really hoping that those two doctors who returned isolated in critical condition will respond to the experimental treatments they're being given.

Quoted from Averno

Every avenue of research funding should be opened to conquering this thing. It seems doable to me.

Possibly, though the effort looks to be up a steep hill at this point. The outbreak is in an area that is plagued by ignorance and poor communications and there seem to be a number of strains already in circulation. If the agent mutates readily and retains its toxic potential it will be difficult to prevent and thus to stop.

As for suddenly being 'out of control; it looks like it has never been under control, only a threat now to a greater population. The big plus here is that it is not easily transmitted and could be properly contained or eliminated by proper hygienic and procedural methods.

hey Paul... yapperdapperdooo your're  back with  us ... ahem yesss... don't think that USA is recently concerned nor do you need any issues/ concernings about this  here... ...even if any ressemblances might occure..

but I'm convinced that a lot of this issue is negatively colported... not understood... but seems to be bearable and solved  also by natural healing issues...called: mykotherapy......as HIV was also concerned and can be treateded with herbals factors... called artemesia...

it's that easy when understood and implemented... but first we do need to overcome prejudgements......I'm sure that you won't go into any opositions here ......


ps.

great to see ya back onto our forums ...

hugs from Isa

Quoted from Averno

Sorry, what I meant was that unless entire villages had previously been decimated, that would be some evidence that there was a natural resistance within some of the population. If it in fact exists, finding such a link would begin the salvos against this horrible thing.

50 to 90 percent fatality refers to those who've contracted the virus, but I'm wondering what would be the likelihood of contracting it?  I'm in total agreement that the last thing America needs is another AIDS-like epidemic. I'm really hoping that those two doctors who returned isolated in critical condition will respond to the experimental treatments they're being given.

I just see importing the infected doctors to a worse than exporting a CDC team to treat them.

Unless the funding does not permit it, it would be better to have the two isolation areas in side a larger one.  The larger for staff treating the infected and one of the smaller for the infected with the other smaller for staff isolation to wait out the incubation period before leaving the entire complex.

Quoted from shoulderblade

As for suddenly being 'out of control; it looks like it has never been under control, only a threat now to a greater population. The big plus here is that it is not easily transmitted and could be properly contained or eliminated by proper hygienic and procedural methods.

The either the infection rate is not high or the undoubtedly imperfect isolation procedure used in Africa are effective enough to reduce the rate to something near a 1% level.  Four extra mutations after the first was known for decades is not particularly alarming, unless the isolation procedure necessitated is different for any one.

Quoted from paul clucas

I just see importing the infected doctors to a worse than exporting a CDC team to treat them.

Yeah, that does make sense. Given the experimental nature of the treatment and the great desire for success, the team would want to be prepared for any contingency. Makes you wonder if they chose to bring them here for treatment because it was simply cheaper than flying an extensive lab, staff and logistical support over to them.

The decision the CDC made suggests either a very low risk assessment, or a very poorly considered risk assessment. I hope the former is true.

Some people seem immune to it.

http://blogs.plos.org/dnascience/2014/08/14/ebola-kills/

http://en.ird.fr/ird.fr/the-me.....al-immunity-to-ebola

George Takei posted this on Facebook.  It's a good one that covers the basic facts about ebola.  The bottom line:  You really don't have to worry about it.

https://www.vocativ.com/culture/health-culture/ebola-facts/

Quoted from Easy E

Some people seem immune to it.

http://blogs.plos.org/dnascience/2014/08/14/ebola-kills/

http://en.ird.fr/ird.fr/the-me.....al-immunity-to-ebola

The book "the hot zone" which was terrifying to read about 10 years ago also had a significant part in it regarding bat guano instead of bat saliva.

Now there's a case in Dallas!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10.....ct-with-patient.html

Yikes!

Now that it is in our country, what things should we do to not catch it (from a dietary perspective)?
I feel bad for that guy in Texas. I wonder why the hospital was so lax the first time he went there & said he just came from Liberia...
On the news, they say he went to critical condition yesterday.  May he be healed & the others not catch it!

This is so much different than West Nile virus & other threats that didn't worry  us so much.

Quoted from Mrs T O+

Now that it is in our country, what things should we do to not catch it (from a dietary perspective)?

Boost the immune system as much as possible, either by diet or the Immune System Support Protocol:
http://www.dadamo.com/protocols/17.html

Possibly follow the anti-viral support protocol:
http://www.dadamo.com/protocols/6.html

Quoted from Mrs T O+

This is so much different than West Nile virus & other threats that didn't worry  us so much.

Correct. Ebola is much harder to spread than those other threats.

Dr D linked these on FB
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.....971a847d52f2aaeaf10c
http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5838/rr/765484

http://www.wired.com/2014/10/ebola-virus-infection-transmission-death-explained/

Lola got an error message on first link, second is right on the money, third got a blank page.
I've been studying the influenza pandemic of 1918 is surprisingly like ebola in it's attack on humans.  Drinking ginger tea, now would be good. Chinese skullcap and ginger stop influenza infections: they are hemagglutinin inhibitors.  Building up our immune systems is best.

I've been reading "Herbal antivirals" by Stephen harrod Buhner, haven't seen anything on Ebola, however, Ebola is a Viral Infection.

skullcap, elder, licorice, rhodiola, ginger, isatic, Lespedea bicolor, Angelica keiskei, Amorpha fruticosa, quercetin, Alpinia zerumbet, Erythrina addisoniae, and Cleistocalyx are all neuraminidase inhibitors (like Tamiflu)  These are some herbs, you might look into.

I got some sad news this  morning, a member of our congregation has friends in Sierra Leone he got to talk to them. They say the News media are down played how bad it is there, Whole villages have been lost. I'm not surprised at this and I don't think we need to get overly worked up about it here, but I do feel it might be good to work hard to improve our health, Keep up our sanitary measures.

Hundreds of thousands have been killed by flu epidemics.  Millions and millions have had the flu virus.  No one is scared of the flu really.

I don't think Ebola will ever get a foothold in the U.S. and probably not anywhere else.  Even these African countries, the pandemics come and go with suddenness.

The African pandemics are prob related to the deplorable sanitation and lack of sewage, and leaving dead bodies that are Ebola breeding grounds in public around everyone else.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117310&page=2

Interesting article about how the black plaque may have actually been an ebola virus outbreak in medieval Europe, and how there are genes that indicate this may be true.