Sudan May Have New Form of Ebola

The Aliens · Post by **The Aliens** » 2004-05-22 06:43pm

NAIROBI, KENYA - A new strain of Ebola virus may have caused of the latest outbreak of hemorrhagic fever in Sudan.

According to the World Health Organization, four out of the 10 people infected in the current outbreak of Ebola fever have died.

Blood samples tested at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control show the outbreak is not linked to any of four known strains of the virus.

Since Ebola was first discovered in 1976, two of the strains have caused epidemics with 50 to 90 per cent mortality in Sudan, Congo, Gabon and Uganda.

The highly infectious disease is characterized by severe weakness, pain, fever and vomiting. Some victims experience a rash, red eyes, hiccups and internal and external bleeding.

The reservoir of Ebola, where the virus exists between outbreaks, has not been identified.

Another horrifically lethal disease- just what Africa needs.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-05-22 06:45pm

Yay!

VALDEMAR! I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!

WHat is the HAB Biowar division up to after all

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-05-22 06:47pm

Horrors! A less then normally lethal strain of Ebola! What ever shall we do!
Unless this strain is either transmissible by air person to person or has a greatly increased incubation period its not something that's anyone needs to give a damn about.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-05-22 06:56pm

*yawn* 4 out of 10 people? That's not Ebola. That's the Flu. Ebola Zaire, THAT'S real ebola. Goddamn what does it have? like 93% mortality? Brutal stuff, that. *shudder* seriously, though, biological shit like that gives me the MAJOR heebie-jeebies.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2004-05-22 06:56pm

A less-lethal ebola could spread more easily by allowing its host to live longer. But, I'm pretty sure Tom Clancy already did Ebola in Sudan in "Executive Orders".

The Aliens · Post by **The Aliens** » 2004-05-22 07:05pm

Longer incubation period and less fatalities means it can spread further in one host- and the more sick people the higher the strain on the already shitty health-care system.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2004-05-22 07:07pm

Exactly.

Ma Deuce · Post by **Ma Deuce** » 2004-05-22 07:19pm

MKSheppard wrote:Yay!

VALDEMAR! I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!

WHat is the HAB Biowar division up to after all

I believe this is just a routine test of one of the earliest prototypes in his effort to recreate the Motaba virus (which will be created entirely artificially, not as a mutation of an existing organism). Needless to say, the final production version will be far, far more lethal (100% mortality rate), espicially since it will be airborne.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-05-22 07:43pm

Four out of 10 people have died RIGHT NOW. The other people may still be suffering, and may die in the future. The article's really not that good, and so it leaves that to interpretation.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-05-22 11:12pm

CaptainChewbacca wrote:A less-lethal ebola could spread more easily by allowing its host to live longer. But, I'm pretty sure Tom Clancy already did Ebola in Sudan in "Executive Orders".

Ebola has always been in the Sudan, the first outbreak there occured at the same time as the first Zaire outbreak. Though Ebola Sudan isn't as lethal, about 70% mortaility. As for the reduced mortality rate letting is spread further, I don't think so. Your still going to be sick as fuck and in no position to travel, and people are going to keep away from you.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-05-22 11:37pm

This isn't even Marburg level stuff, I remain frankly unimpressed at whoever is creating such pathogens.

The development of the modified Ebola Zaire strain has been held back due to budget problems, but I hear the results are quite impressive with a fairly acceptable 95% mortality rate and 7 day incubation period with full airborne infectiousness during that time after.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2004-05-22 11:43pm

Speaking of, let's hope that terrorists don't learn how to make ebola airborne. That would be icky.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-05-22 11:51pm

kojikun wrote:Speaking of, let's hope that terrorists don't learn how to make ebola airborne. That would be icky.

Common to popular myth, Ebola is actually capable of airborne transmission and has been documented as being so at Reston and USAMRIID. Most viruses can be transmitted in an aerosol, it's how long they last that matters. The fictional Motaba strain in the movie Outbreak (which adorns my DVD collection right next to 28 Days Later) was basically Ebola but with a protein coat that allowed it to survive longer in the air.

The major fear is a disease that has the effects of Ebola with the general badassness of Influenza. That'd basically wipe out 90% of mankind without stopping for breath.

I'd love to work with this crazy shit, though most think I'm insane and would be better choosing a saner career such as bomb diffuser or human cannonball.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-05-22 11:54pm

And in case you didn't feel Ebola was enough, plague is coming back.

There's quite a major error in that article, a cookie laced with happy powder to those that get it.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-05-23 12:24am

My beef with the article is that it says you can treat the Black plague with antibiotics. Can't treat a damned virus with antibiotics.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-05-23 12:29am

Wait a sec...it says the plague was a virus...the plague is a bacterium..... *slpas head*

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-05-23 12:32am

It switches frequently between claiming that bubonic plague was responsible for the Black Death, which is coming back, and claiming that there's another virus out there that caused the Black Death which may or may not be coming back.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2004-05-23 12:33am

The bubonic plague is not a virus.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2004-05-23 04:22am

Admiral Valdemar wrote:This isn't even Marburg level stuff, I remain frankly unimpressed at whoever is creating such pathogens.

The development of the modified Ebola Zaire strain has been held back due to budget problems, but I hear the results are quite impressive with a fairly acceptable 95% mortality rate and 7 day incubation period with full airborne infectiousness during that time after.

It lasts as long as frozen anthrax, when exposed to 8,500-degree Fahrenheit temperatures I trust? And your blank check is in the mail.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-05-23 08:04am

Sea Skimmer wrote:
It lasts as long as frozen anthrax, when exposed to 8,500-degree Fahrenheit temperatures I trust? And your blank check is in the mail.

For reasons of security, we always make sure enough napalm will contain minor accidents.

The cheque is appreciated.

Chardok: Right on the money, I didn't think they'd make that mistake since the only other news company to do that was The Daily Mail, but I'd doubt if they published the sky was blue to be honest.

Sarevok · Post by **Sarevok** » 2004-05-23 09:37am

kojikun wrote:Speaking of, let's hope that terrorists don't learn how to make ebola airborne. That would be icky.

I think a bigger concern would be terrorists getting there hands on small pox. Currently our defense against small pox is limited since the desease went extinct long time ago.