Ebola

[mmhmm]

Aug 1, 2014 22:28:16 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

They're not going to "plant it" in Nebraska, Artemis. These patients are going to Emory in Atlanta. I don't know why you would believe researchers, in particular, don't care about the rest of the population. They're people, just like you and I. They care, too.

I'm sure they do, but do we really need to introduce an incurable, transmittable, disease with a high mortality rate to our home soil?  Couldn't they quarantine them at Gitmo and still give them state of the art treatment?  For that matter, why not one of the Hawaiian islands?

They'll quarantine them where they have the proper quarantine facilities. I don't know of one in Hawaii; nor, is there one at Gitmo. These folks will not touch our "soil" while ill. They'll go from where they are to an isolation pod, to a specially fitted plane, to the isolation unit at Emory. Never will they touch soil, or grass, or a tree, or a doorknob. Also, this virus is curable. You don't have the disease for life. It has a high mortality mostly because of where it occurs and the conditions under which it is treated. That's also why it's transmitted as often as it is. There are cultural factors involved that result in a higher rate of transmission.

[geenamercile]

I'm not sure how I feel about infected people being brought over.  I guess I can see both sides of it. On one side I am wondering if this will help us fin a cure or vaccine for it.  I also think the bringing people home shows that it is getting more out of control over there and this isn't going to go away and this outbreak is just going to keep growing.  In which case at some point I think it will make it over here, and it would be nice if we did have a way to deal with it.  So bringing these people over could be good preparation.

On the other hand I do think there is a risk in bringing it here.  Not so worried about the plane spewing body parts but being able to keep it contained.  I do worry about human error.  I do wonder how deadly it would be here, with the care that is available.  Just so many unknowns.   

[Tiny]

But, really, how risky is it bringing it here? I think the 'reservoir' animal for the virus are bats (we have bats). Then, I think a human needs to consume an infected bat (We don't really eat bats here). Or maybe a human needs to get all touchy feely with a dead bat..? We generally don't do that here either with roadkill/dead animals.

We already deal with rabid bats, hantavirus from mouse-y dung, and fleas/ticks that transmit things like both kinds of Plague.  People come into contact with rabid bats, infected mouse dung and fleas/ticks here in America and yes a handful of people a year get sick or die.   But, compare that to the 2000 or so people who drown or die in water each year in America (for example - you could also compare to deaths involving trains or auto accidents or drunk driving if you like)... when was the last time you worried about your pool or your neighbors pool or taking your kids to the Lake to picnic and swim??   Probably about the same amount of time you spent worrying about bats or mouse dung.  

Is there an animal/insect here that could become the 'reservoir' for ebola here?

[Tiny]

FWIW: I wouldn't be surprised if some of our reseach labs/scientists have already been working with the ebola virus here in America. That's what scientists do...

[geenamercile]

It isn't the laboratory I'm worried about.  I'm sure we have the virus here in laboratories with pretty strict protocols.  and I  do trust those protocols.  I'm not even that worried about the known sick people they are bringing over.  They are going to sites that I would think are pretty secure and strict protocols too.   It is the person who catches it right before they leave where ever in Africa and doesn't know they have it until they are here for 2-3 days that worries me.  I don't trust the airport security that much to catch a person who hasn't started showing the symptoms.  And if someone comes over infected and doesn't know it, and say gets off at Dulles in Northern Virginia and wonders around for 2 days before realizing they have it, even if they only give it to 2-3 people who pass it to 2 or 3 people it grows.  And I don't know how much I trust our regular hospitals to handle a few sick people even temporarily.      

Rabies also has a cure, I think it is like 21 shots in the stomach, not a nice cure but still a cure.  And yes I worry about animals that are acting outside of normal here.  We do have confirmed cases every so often here of rabies.  And I worry about the pool when ever we go swimming, but I trust the protocols we have in place when we go swimming.  In the car we have car seats, safety belts other things we use to try and minimize risk.    

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Aug 2, 2014 17:43:54 GMT -5 geenamercile said:

It isn't the laboratory I'm worried about.  I'm sure we have the virus here in laboratories with pretty strict protocols.  and I  do trust those protocols.  I'm not even that worried about the known sick people they are bringing over.  They are going to sites that I would think are pretty secure and strict protocols too.   It is the person who catches it right before they leave where ever in Africa and doesn't know they have it until they are here for 2-3 days that worries me.  I don't trust the airport security that much to catch a person who hasn't started showing the symptoms.  And if someone comes over infected and doesn't know it, and say gets off at Dulles in Northern Virginia and wonders around for 2 days before realizing they have it, even if they only give it to 2-3 people who pass it to 2 or 3 people it grows.  And I don't know how much I trust our regular hospitals to handle a few sick people even temporarily.      

Rabies also has a cure, I think it is like 21 shots in the stomach, not a nice cure but still a cure.  

This is not the way it is transmitted.  The only way it is transmitted is through infected body fluids, the virus is not spread through the air.

Rabies is not treated this way anymore.
www.cdc.gov/rabies/medical_care/

[Deleted]

Hope not.

www.nytimes.com/2014/08/02/world/africa/african-leaders-and-who-intensify-effort-to-combat-ebola-virus.html?ref=health&_r=1

Dr. Chan said that the virus seemed to be spreading in ways never seen before.

“It is taking place in areas with fluid population movements over porous borders, and it has demonstrated its ability to spread via air travel,” she said.

[steff]

Well, I live about 60 miles outside of Atlanta.   *gasp gasp dies*

[mmhmm]

Aug 2, 2014 19:01:02 GMT -5 @xmascookie said:

Hope not.

www.nytimes.com/2014/08/02/world/africa/african-leaders-and-who-intensify-effort-to-combat-ebola-virus.html?ref=health&_r=1

Dr. Chan said that the virus seemed to be spreading in ways never seen before.

“It is taking place in areas with fluid population movements over porous borders, and it has demonstrated its ability to spread via air travel,” she said.

A symptomatic patient traveling by air could spread the virus in vomit or diarrhoea, if those body secretions get on someone else's skin, but the virus itself doesn't "travel" on the air. These patients are being transported in sealed isolation pods. Nothing gets in there and nothing gets out. Nobody touches the patient directly. Gowned, gloved, all exposed skin and mucous membranes are covered.

[Deleted]

I pray the two doctors can recover.

[geenamercile]

Aug 2, 2014 20:27:01 GMT -5 @sroo4 said:

Aug 2, 2014 17:43:54 GMT -5 geenamercile said:

It isn't the laboratory I'm worried about.  I'm sure we have the virus here in laboratories with pretty strict protocols.  and I  do trust those protocols.  I'm not even that worried about the known sick people they are bringing over.  They are going to sites that I would think are pretty secure and strict protocols too.   It is the person who catches it right before they leave where ever in Africa and doesn't know they have it until they are here for 2-3 days that worries me.  I don't trust the airport security that much to catch a person who hasn't started showing the symptoms.  And if someone comes over infected and doesn't know it, and say gets off at Dulles in Northern Virginia and wonders around for 2 days before realizing they have it, even if they only give it to 2-3 people who pass it to 2 or 3 people it grows.  And I don't know how much I trust our regular hospitals to handle a few sick people even temporarily.      

Rabies also has a cure, I think it is like 21 shots in the stomach, not a nice cure but still a cure.  And yes I worry about animals that are acting outside of normal here.  We do have confirmed cases every so often here of rabies.  And I worry about the pool when ever we go swimming, but I trust the protocols we have in place when we go swimming.  In the car we have car seats, safety belts other things we use to try and minimize risk.    

Ok this was totally not the point of your post, but one thing I read and wanted to comment on. The series of shots for rabies is a vaccine not a cure. 

There  has only been one case of rabies ever being cured and that was a few years ago in WI   

Okay, I associated the fact that the shots were given after a person was bitten as a cure, but it is just a vaccine given after exposure.  Thanks now I feel even less safe with rabies.  

But yea with Ebola my concerns lay not with the people who are diagnosed and being brought over but the people who are not.  And since from what I have read it can take 21 days to show symptoms that gives people time to move around.  Now I guess the good thing is that you are not able to pass it until you are showing symptoms.  But then again, if someone flies here and then 2 weeks later vomits in a restaurant or start to get sick are they really going to think Ebola or that they have picked something else up.     

SARS also seems to have a 2-10 day time frame with showing symptoms and the death rate was much lower.  Now I don't know if that is because SARS was in an area with better health care so would Ebola have a lower death rate in those areas with those medical faculties?  (Somebody compared it to SARS don't remember who).  Also the information said the 2000 out break had 8000 cases (I'm thinking the Ebola count is going to go up and may match this before it is under control) but only 750 deaths.  The Ebola from what I have read is at 729 deaths already.

My gut just says this is going to get a fair amount worse before it gets contained and I feel sorry for the people over there.  

[Spellbound454]

Scotland is hosting an international games competition at the moment.

One guy arrived from the region and fell ill.
He was tested for Ebola and cleared in enough time to recover and do his event.

I think identification of the virus can be pretty rapid with modern medical facilities.
We are expecting it....we are suspicious of visitors from the region who fall ill.

[Blonde Granny]

I just read that Dr. Brantleys wife and 2 daughter were in Africa with him and came back to the US recently to attend a wedding. The husband of the missionary still yet there will also be returning to the US.

Does anyone but me think there just could be a little problem here?

[Artemis Windsong]

Here is an interesting article:

news.msn.com/world/5-things-to-know-about-ebola-outbreak-in-w-africa

[mmhmm]

Aug 3, 2014 14:15:01 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I just read that Dr. Brantleys wife and 2 daughter were in Africa with him and came back to the US recently to attend a wedding. The husband of the missionary still yet there will also be returning to the US.

Does anyone but me think there just could be a little problem here?

Dr. Brantley's wife and children left Africa before Dr. Brantley became ill. They were not infected. The virus is only transmitted by people who are actually ill. The husband of the missionary is not in direct contact with her. He's stayed clear of the virus, as well, from what I've read.

[Blonde Granny]

Aug 3, 2014 15:27:12 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Aug 3, 2014 14:15:01 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

I just read that Dr. Brantleys wife and 2 daughter were in Africa with him and came back to the US recently to attend a wedding. The husband of the missionary still yet there will also be returning to the US.

Does anyone but me think there just could be a little problem here?

Dr. Brantley's wife and children left Africa before Dr. Brantley became ill. They were not infected. The virus is only transmitted by people who are actually ill. The husband of the missionary is not in direct contact with her. He's stayed clear of the virus, as well, from what I've read.

We can only hope!

[Blonde Granny]

I removed the story as it was posted on the Drudge Report.  I believe the article was too inflammatory to allow it to stay here.

[mmhmm]

Aug 3, 2014 15:51:22 GMT -5 Blonde Granny said:

Aug 3, 2014 15:27:12 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

Dr. Brantley's wife and children left Africa before Dr. Brantley became ill. They were not infected. The virus is only transmitted by people who are actually ill. The husband of the missionary is not in direct contact with her. He's stayed clear of the virus, as well, from what I've read.

We can only hope!

On these things, hon, we don't have to hope. The missionary's husband has been tested and is virus free. Since Dr. Brantley's family left Africa before he became ill, there's no chance they were infected. Infection cannot occur unless the infected individual is actually symptomatic.

[Deleted]

I wish we would hear some good news about the transferred patients.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 3, 2014 20:31:18 GMT -5 @xmascookie said:

I wish we would hear some good news about the transferred patients.

American Ebola patient 'appears to be improving,' CDC chief says

[Tennesseer]

The other American has yet to land in the U.S.

[Deleted]

Aug 3, 2014 20:39:29 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

The other American has yet to land in the U.S.

I didn't know that. Glad to hear about the other though.

[Tennesseer]

Aug 3, 2014 20:59:20 GMT -5 @xmascookie said:

Aug 3, 2014 20:39:29 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

The other American has yet to land in the U.S.

I didn't know that. Glad to hear about the other though.

Yes.  The aircraft ìs designed to transport one isolated patient at a time.

[mmhmm]

I read today the second patient is to be transferred within the next couple of days. The charter has already left to fetch her back here.

[Opti]

I've been reading parts of this thread and it seems there's more concern than I would

expect about hypothetical vomiting.

How many of you, post your answers please, have ever been vomited on by a stranger

or were splashed with a stranger's vomit? Bonus question - how many have been in a restaurant

where someone vomited in the dining room?

In my case, both numbers are zero. I have had to deal with family vomit, and so far its been

cleanup unless it was my own, so no spatter to contact me unawares.

[geenamercile]

Aug 3, 2014 21:12:20 GMT -5 Opti said:

I've been reading parts of this thread and it seems there's more concern than I would

expect about hypothetical vomiting.

How many of you, post your answers please, have ever been vomited on by a stranger

or were splashed with a stranger's vomit? Bonus question - how many have been in a restaurant

where someone vomited in the dining room?

In my case, both numbers are zero. I have had to deal with family vomit, and so far its been

cleanup unless it was my own, so no spatter to contact me unawares.

I have been in a restaurant when people have vomited, I have also cleaned it up.  I have seen what people will leave in the bathrooms of restaurants.  Now true this was 10 years ago when I managed a casual dinning restaurant, but yea using public restrooms are not my favorite place to use.  And most of the vomit cases where people getting things to go, not in the dinning area.  I also don't know if the sanitary spray they use in would be enough to kill the virus either.  Specially if the concentrate was low when filling the bottle, and instead of going to get more out of the stock room, the person just added some extra water.  Yea that stuff happens.  Not really sure how much protection those plastic food gloves would give someone cleaning up the vomit or bathroom either.  So if someone brought it over I would think the people who would get sick would be the persons's family or someone cleaning after them during their travel from the airport to home.        

And for the record I'm not concern about a huge outbreak over here.  I do think if someone brings it over it would be contained quickly, and I have enough confidence in our medical systems I think our death rates would be way lower because of the care people could get.  But I also wouldn't be surprised if it does show up here either.  I do think it is a scary virus and really feel for the people in Africa who are experiencing it.  But then I find viruses in general scary.       

[The Captain]

Aug 3, 2014 21:12:20 GMT -5 Opti said:

I've been reading parts of this thread and it seems there's more concern than I would

expect about hypothetical vomiting.

How many of you, post your answers please, have ever been vomited on by a stranger

or were splashed with a stranger's vomit? Bonus question - how many have been in a restaurant

where someone vomited in the dining room?

In my case, both numbers are zero. I have had to deal with family vomit, and so far its been

cleanup unless it was my own, so no spatter to contact me unawares.

I had a kid vomit on me on a plane trip, does that count?

His stupid mother (yes she earned that title) let him have a bunch of grape soda and candy right before takeoff as I found out first hand.

It was the most disgusting four hours of my life.  The flight crew helped me get cleaned up as much as possible.  When I got to the airport I got my luggage, went to a bathroom and changed throwing the soiled clothing into the garbage.  

[mmhmm]

I had the same experience once, The Captain. Little baby-in-arms upchucked on her mother. I took the child to let her mother get to the restroom and darned if the little one didn't upchuck on me! Mom came back to her seat and took the tyke so I could go try to clean myself up! Thankfully, when I returned the child seemed to have gotten rid of whatever was on her stomach.  Mom and I were wearing wet blouses but we survived. Like you, I got rid of all soiled clothing as soon as we deplaned.

[Tennesseer]

Secret serum likely saved Ebola patients

Three top secret, experimental vials stored at subzero temperatures were flown into Liberia last week in a last-ditch effort to save two American missionary workers who had contracted Ebola, according to a source familiar with details of the treatment.

The drug was developed by the biotech firm Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. The patients were told that this treatment had never been tried before in a human being but had shown promise in small experiments with monkeys.

According to company documents, four monkeys infected with Ebola survived after being given the therapy within 24 hours after infection. Two of four additional monkeys that started therapy within 48 hours after infection also survived. One monkey that was not treated died within five days of exposure to the virus.

Brantly and Writebol were aware of the risk of taking a new, little understood treatment; informed consent was obtained from both Americans, according to two sources familiar with the care of the missionary workers. In the monkeys, the experimental serum had been given within 48 hours of infection. Brantly didn't receive it until he'd been sick for nine days.

Secret serum likely saved Ebola patients

My thought all along-the U.S. has some type of secret, trial serum and wanted the two Americans back on U.S. soil so scientists and doctors could observe and study the results of the serum. Better they be here in the U.S. than some foreign hospital where the conditions would not be conducive to scientific study.

[Angel!]

Aug 2, 2014 15:16:33 GMT -5 Tiny said:

We already deal with rabid bats, hantavirus from mouse-y dung, and fleas/ticks that transmit things like both kinds of Plague.  People come into contact with rabid bats, infected mouse dung and fleas/ticks here in America and yes a handful of people a year get sick or die.   But, compare that to the 2000 or so people who drown or die in water each year in America (for example - you could also compare to deaths involving trains or auto accidents or drunk driving if you like)... when was the last time you worried about your pool or your neighbors pool or taking your kids to the Lake to picnic and swim??   Probably about the same amount of time you spent worrying about bats or mouse dung.  

 

Maybe it is just me, but I worry far more abuot pools & lakes than I ever even think about bats or mice.  My kids are not even allowed to play in the neighbor's backyard because they have a pool. 

I would think most parents would be like me.  But then maybe not & maybe that is why so many kids drown each year