Information on the Ebola Virus - from Dyson, Roy Senator

[DanGuy48]

Not always true. Some viruses can survive outside the body for quite some time. Even a simple wipe of the nose or touch of the eye means it is quite contagious.

I don't think we're in disagreement. Influenza is notorious for surviving outside the body. But as I was saying above in post #35, I also think that people are being too glib in their claims that these filoviruses are so immediately susceptible to desiccation. That is the claim being made by many. But, again as above, how many want to bet, with something this deadly, exactly how long it takes the virus to dry out on someone's skin, or floating through humid air in a droplet from a sneeze or cough? Not me, no thanks.

 

[Dave Taylor]

Fear not fair citizen.

'Obama Care' sends troups to fight 'Ebola Scare'.

 

[smokey]

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Govern...Americans-to-Question-if-Illegals-Responsible

Not ebola...but it has been effecting more americans and the origins are more directly tied to the policy decisions by this administration. I feel like december is going to be one hell of a month as post-election stuff hits the fan.

 

[tourrider]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Brooklyn]

It takes more than a simple touch. I couldn't remember the details...she probably wiped at her nose or rubbed her eyes. It does take continuous moisture for the virus to survive, but for something the size of a virus, that's not a lot.

This is a big issue. I am not up on the climate of the affected areas. Dry and hot or hot and wet? How does it compare to MD. What about temperature. Then again an industrial setting will have far more non porous surfaces....unknown.

 

[amoebicmagician]

He's not kidding about the flu, I damned near kicked off this year from the flu, and that is NO exaggeration- blood in my lungs and urine, I was sure I was a goner.

Get your jabs

 

[Minuteman]

Agreed. Get this years flu shot.

Yes, it won't protect you from Ebola, but it will likely protect you, your family/friends and the rest of society from a rapid wide spread outbreak of flu.

This is about the 10th post/thread that has got me thinking about researching this from a worst case perspective....

 

[DanGuy48]

He's not kidding about the flu, I damned near kicked off this year from the flu, and that is NO exaggeration- blood in my lungs and urine, I was sure I was a goner.

Get your jabs

Absolutely agree. I lost got the flu 15-20 years ago I guess and although I can't remember the exact date, I do remember thinking to myself, how much sicker can I get and not die. I decided then that I was never going through that again. I've been getting flu shots ever since and thankfully, so far, I've not had it again. Absolutely miserable. I missed over a week of work IIRC.

 

[smokey]

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/...-at-dallas-hospital-tests-positive-for-ebola/

ok....I'd like to know exactly how she was infected and if she's someone who handled him originally, or after they knew he had ebola....but this does point to the "We're not being told how communicable this form of ebola is" narrative. I find it difficult to believe someone who works in a hospital would grab a mouth-swab, hold a sweaty arm, or otherwise contaminate their hands...and then relatively immediately touch a mucous membrane. Even as a school teacher, I make it a practice to heavily wash my hands first(or at least use some hand-sanitizer) before rubbing my eyes or touching anywhere a bug could get in.

I want someone working close to this current outbreak to deliver a science-based presentation on EXACTLY what we're facing with the current form of this bug. The more people know how communicable it is, the ways it can be spread, and the timeframe in which it can be spread, the easier it will be to contain an outbreak. There's entirely too much noise and confusion in the data being released around ebola these days.

 

[igotyoubeat]

I think our politicians are missing the point.

1. WE DONT WANT PEOPLE WHO POTENTIALLY HAVE EBOLA TO COME HERE!!! (Especially people on visas who aren't citizens of the US)

2.STOP ALL UNNECESSARY TRAVEL TO AND FROM NATIONS WITH EBOLA!

3. DO NOT EXPOSE OUT TROOPS TO EBOLA (over 100 are there now; 4000 slated to go over)

Bottom line is ebola is very deadly; allowing people from ebola struck areas to enter our country is just plain stupid! Sending our troops over is signing them up for death. There will be soldiers that get infected and die. While I want to support efforts to quell this nasty virus sending our men and women into a death sentence is not my first choice, we can assist these nations by giving supplies and education. This morning (Sunday October 12th) we have a second case of ebola in the US, the healthcare worker exposed to Mr. Duncan.

I believe as a nation we can handle a few isolated cases, but as more and more cases start to emerge mistakes will be made. I urge all politicians to wake up!!!!!!

 

[teratos]

Agreed. Get this years flu shot.

Yes, it won't protect you from Ebola, but it will likely protect you, your family/friends and the rest of society from a rapid wide spread outbreak of flu.

This is about the 10th post/thread that has got me thinking about researching this from a worst case perspective....

Please. For the sanity of those of us on the front lines of healthcare. If Ebola gets a foothold in the US, influenza and Ebola will be very difficult to distinguish from each other.

 

[DanGuy48]

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/...-at-dallas-hospital-tests-positive-for-ebola/

ok....I'd like to know exactly how she was infected and if she's someone who handled him originally, or after they knew he had ebola....but this does point to the "We're not being told how communicable this form of ebola is" narrative. I find it difficult to believe someone who works in a hospital would grab a mouth-swab, hold a sweaty arm, or otherwise contaminate their hands...and then relatively immediately touch a mucous membrane. Even as a school teacher, I make it a practice to heavily wash my hands first(or at least use some hand-sanitizer) before rubbing my eyes or touching anywhere a bug could get in.

I want someone working close to this current outbreak to deliver a science-based presentation on EXACTLY what we're facing with the current form of this bug. The more people know how communicable it is, the ways it can be spread, and the timeframe in which it can be spread, the easier it will be to contain an outbreak. There's entirely too much noise and confusion in the data being released around ebola these days.

For a virus that is usually encountered in the US only in BSL-4 rated laboratories, I think that many of the people in hospitals are probably not adequately trained or experienced, and not properly equipped.

Consider.....

...there are two things that have been bothering me throughout this whole thing as I've been seeing it on the news reports.

1. A lot of people seem to be wearing standard hazmat suits while dealing with infected people and materials. I don't think that is adequate. Here's what's recommended when working in a BSL-4 lab where situations are MUCH more tightly controlled than in a hospital room.

"Biohazard Level 4: Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever virus, Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic diseases. Variola virus (smallpox) is an agent that is worked with at BSL-4 despite the existence of a vaccine. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a positive pressure personnel suit, with a segregated air supply, is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release."

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_hazard

2. Wearing a protective suit does you no good if you don't know how to dress and, especially, how to undress. There is a whole detailed procedure too long for here but just think about it for a bit. You're wearing all this gear that could be contaminated anywhere on its surface. In removing it, you cannot let any exterior surface of the suit contact any part of your body or clothing when removing it. While you're doing this, you also are trying to make sure that no part of the suit touches any part of the clean environment you are getting ready to enter. How many people have received formal training on these procedures and are well practiced with them?

I remember the first time I entered a hot BSL-3 lab, not nearly as strict as BSL-4 required for Ebola. You had to use the outer gloves to pull loose and partially remove clothes where you'd be touching contaminated surfaces. Then remove the outer gloves and use the second layer clean gloves to remove anything else that might cause you to touch your clothes. I did the left half of my body first and stepped into the clean part of the room with the left side of my body. The rest of the suit is carefully pulled off and left in the "dirty" side of the vestibule. The vestibule is under negative air pressure, nothing flows out of the contaminated area or vestibule. This stuff is very complicated and, IMHO, many of these workers OBVIOUSLY either lack the proper gear, the proper training, or both.

It's been acknowledged that both the Spanish nurse and the second person in Dallas both most likely were infected by improper UNdressing procedures.

 

[Minuteman]

Please. For the sanity of those of us on the front lines of healthcare. If Ebola gets a foothold in the US, influenza and Ebola will be very difficult to distinguish from each other.

Roger that doc.

You all now have my attention. I'm just now starting to take this seriously, and will research for myself. So far this morning, I would say the best information I've found is from the BBC. They have several excellent pages explaining what's happened, what's likely going to happen, and how to protect yourself.

Here's the link I recommend folks here read first: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-26835233

This is by far already the largest outbreak ever:

With proper protective measures and isolation, ebola can be stopped in its current form; its still not by definition 'air born' but one microscopic drop of it in the eye, we're screwed.

So you can protect yourself from it essentially the same way you can protect yourself against the flu --- Currently. However if it mutates to become air born or heaven forbid becomes transferable via mosquitos, like several other disease already are; again... we're screwed.

The advice I would give a family member at this point:
- don't panic
- support the government in their calculated efforts to stop the disease 'over there'
- pray it doesn't come here
- stock up on food and water now before millions of other Americans who never even considered doing such a thing start stocking up and the prices go through the roof.
- have some protective gear and clean up gear on hand, just in case there is an out break anywhere near us.
- Do get the normal flu shot this year; fewer cases of cold/flu will make it much easier for our health care professionals

If an outbreak does occur nearby; don't touch people, in fact, stay home as much as possible, wash with soap and water frequently, have goggles and a mask available if you must go out.

All images from the BBC, so is this:

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD):

• Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
• Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 55%
• Incubation period is two to 21 days
• There is no proven vaccine or cure
• Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
• Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus's natural host

 

[Minuteman]

 

[BigDaddy]

But if you are on an airplane, you can ONLY catch it if you stick your finger in the patients' spit, blood, vomit or poop?

 

[Brooklyn]

Any word on how long it can survive without a host? Any word on host perverences, fruit bat vs rat for example.

 

[Armati]

This current Ebola strain is different that past strains. The mortality rate seems lower, a 'mere' 50%, but it also seems far more contagious and more persistent. The FACT that western trained health PROFESSIONALS are contracting it would obviously indicate it is more contagious than past strains of Ebola. Anyone who is telling you different is lying or misinformed.

It is only prudent to treat this strain of Ebola a more persistent and contagious strain until a well designed, peer reviewed study shows otherwise.

 

[letmeoutpax]

Best info is at:
www.flutrackers.com

I found some slides there from the first two people treated in Atlanta. Speaking of the protective gear, one of the slides talked about the amount of medical waste produced. The two patients were in the hospital for roughly 30 patient days. During that time 3000 lb. of trash was produced from dealing with them.