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[Servbot #42]

LOL ebola is serious allright but it's a fucking joke that people are worried for a massive worldwide outbreak, you have to touch an infected person fluids (poop, blood, saliva) to get it. There's no danger to bringing the missionaries to the US as long as the necessary precautions are taken.
Now if somehow Ebola would get mutated or weaponized into an airborne virus that would be.....extremely bad.

 

[Tarkus]

A drug that needs to be activated by UVA sounds like a great plan.
This has zero application for viruses unless we're talking decontamination of stuff outside the body.

Agreed. How could one activate a drug with UV-Vis if you needed to penetrate cells deep within the body such as organ tissue? It wouldn't even matter if the viral genome of some viruses had already integrated. The next wave of viral treatments involve drugs with metal complexes. Future

 

[Nivash]

No, no, not activating a drug, using the radiation to kill the virus itself. If the virus is in the blood, you could take someone's blood out into a pipe, irradiate it and then run it back in.

I can't even tell if you're trolling right now but in case you aren't: very few viruses infect blood cells. Most infect organs or other tissues. Purifying the blood would do nothing to the virus. Not to mention that any radiation dose strong enough to sterilize blood would kill off pretty much all blood cells too, which you kind of need.

 

[Raist]

No, no, not activating a drug, using the radiation to kill the virus itself. If the virus is in the blood, you could take someone's blood out into a pipe, irradiate it and then run it back in.

Yeah, you just can't do that.

 

[theDeeDubs]

Doesn't Ebola spread similar to Norovirus? That seems to spread rampant in an area pretty quickly doesn't it?

 

[NeckToChicken]

No, no, not activating a drug, using the radiation to kill the virus itself. If the virus is in the blood, you could take someone's blood out into a pipe, irradiate it and then run it back in.

Better yet, why not just purge the Sanguine Humours so that the patient may return to normal posthaste!

Spoiler

jesus christ

 

[Partial Gamification]

Doesn't Ebola spread similar to Norovirus? That seems to spread rampant in an area pretty quickly doesn't it?

No but they both cause you to leak.

Norovirus is a very contagious virus. You can get norovirus from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.
Anyone can be infected with norovirus and get sick. Also, you can have norovirus illness many times in your life. Norovirus illness can be serious, especially for young children and older adults.
Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States. Each year, it causes 19-21 million illnesses and contributes to 56,000-71,000 hospitalizations and 570-800 deaths. Norovirus is also the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks in the United States.
http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/about/overview.html

Norovirus was what was fairly recently showing up on cruise ships [one or two made the news I think]. There was that boat that had to dock in the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico.

Genus Ebolavirus is 1 of 3 members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus), along with genus Marburgvirus and genus Cuevavirus. Genus Ebolavirus comprises 5 distinct species:

Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)
Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV)
Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)
Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)
Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV).
[...]
Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.

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.

Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced.

Among workers in contact with monkeys or pigs infected with Reston ebolavirus, several infections have been documented in people who were clinically asymptomatic. Thus, RESTV appears less capable of causing disease in humans than other Ebola species.

However, the only available evidence available comes from healthy adult males. It would be premature to extrapolate the health effects of the virus to all population groups, such as immuno-compromised persons, persons with underlying medical conditions, pregnant women and children. More studies of RESTV are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn about the pathogenicity and virulence of this virus in humans.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/

 

[Toxi]

No, no, not activating a drug, using the radiation to kill the virus itself. If the virus is in the blood, you could take someone's blood out into a pipe, irradiate it and then run it back in.

Great job, your patient can't breathe because you killed most of his blood cells.

 

[Tarkus]

Doesn't Ebola spread similar to Norovirus? That seems to spread rampant in an area pretty quickly doesn't it?

It's spread by blood and/or droplets contacting mucous membranes or the blood of the noninfected person. By droplets I mean nasal secretions or other bodily secretions. In simpler terms, any exposure of infected fluids beneath the skin of the noninfected person.

 

[SteveWinwood]

these threads always make gaf as a whole look pants on head stupid

 

[Technosteve]

these threads always make gaf as a whole look pants on head stupid

If i get Ebola i'm injecting bleach in to my veins

 

[_DrMario_]

these threads always make gaf as a whole look pants on head stupid

It also makes for a very entertaining read.

 

[RELAYER]

I read that they were given pints of blood and serum from ebola survivors.

If you survive ebola, are you subsequently immune to it?

 

[fritolay]

Well that is tupid

 

[Raist]

I read that they were given pints of blood and serum from ebola survivors.

If you survive ebola, are you subsequently immune to it?

You'll likely have some degree of immunity to it. How much is the question, and with that kind of virus you'd likely not wanna give it a try.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

I don't know why I'm getting so much negativity from my suggestion. That page I linked to on the previous page said that visible light can kill viruses and not damage surrounding human cells:

The researchers applied pulses of purple-coloured light lasting just 100 femtoseconds (10-15 seconds) to viruses called M13 bacteriophages. It takes just a single pulse to destroy the viruses completely, say the researchers.

The "power density" of the laser is just 5 microjoules per square centimetre, which is low enough to leave surrounding human cells and tissue undamaged, but high enough to produce large-amplitude vibrations in a virus's capsid. It is also too low to cause genetic mutations, meaning the virus will not build up resistant to the treatment over time.

I don't think this negative attitude is helpful. We need to be coming up with new ideas guys.

 

[theDeeDubs]

No but they both cause you to leak.

Norovirus was what was fairly recently showing up on cruise ships [one or two made the news I think]. There was that boat that had to dock in the Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico.

Norovirus

"touching contaminated surfaces"



Genus Ebolavirus

"indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids"

How long can the virus last on a surface? Like if an infected person puts their sweaty hand on a bus etc. Much like Noro, I assumed it could be spread by drinking after someone or touching a contaminated surface (in this case for Noro you would then have to touch your mouth or food though). I guess to me it just doesn't seem like something that would be hard to contract. Most people are disgusting and don't wash their hands even in "civilized" countries. Some of the things I see people do on a daily basis blows my mind, like hold money in their mouth etc.

 

[bomma_man]

these threads always make gaf as a whole look pants on head stupid

Dr GAF

 

[Omega Ultimus]

I don't know why I'm getting so much negativity from my suggestion. That page I linked to on the previous page said that visible light can kill viruses and not damage surrounding human cells:



I don't think this negative attitude is helpful. We need to be coming up with new ideas guys.

Here's a better link: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/laser_blasts_viruses_in_blood

 

[StickSoldier]

I'm curious as to know how some of the leading doctors have caught it. I'm sure they are super cautious when treating others, so how do you think they might have got it? Unless they weren't as cautious as I believe they would be? It's weird.

 

[TheFakeMccoy]

Nanobots are the only obvious choice.

 

[Partial Gamification]

Norovirus

"touching contaminated surfaces"



Genus Ebolavirus

"indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids"

How long can the virus last on a surface? Like if an infected person puts their sweaty hand on a bus etc. Much like Noro, I assumed it could be spread by drinking after someone or touching a contaminated surface (in this case for Noro you would then have to touch your mouth or food though). I guess to me it just doesn't seem like something that would be hard to contract. Most people are disgusting and don't wash their hands even in "civilized" countries. Some of the things I see people do on a daily basis blows my mind, like hold money in their mouth etc.

Money in the mouth is disgusting. The environment contaminated with fluids, for Ebola, would be more like knives and needles, opposed to stuff like unwashed lettuce. Not sure about all the strains but Ebola Zaire doesn't last more than a few seconds in the air.

 

[terrisus]

I don't know why I'm getting so much negativity from my suggestion.

Because

1) You admitted to having little/no medical knowledge

2) Despite this, you reacted with surprise and disappointment that this hasn't been "cured"

3) You then proceed to offer up numerous "solutions" - despite point 1, and oblivious to the fact that, if it were that easy, obviously people who actually do have medical knowledge would've thought of it/tried it

 

[Macattk15]

Seems like a real bad idea ...

 

[M3d10n]

No, no, not activating a drug, using the radiation to kill the virus itself. If the virus is in the blood, you could take someone's blood out into a pipe, irradiate it and then run it back in.

The viruses aren't "alive", in the sense that they don't have a metabolic process of their own. They're just little bunches of genetic material encased in a container that can react in contact with specific cell membranes to release the material inside the cell, which will "execute" the virus DNA and produce more viruses instead of doing whatever it was supposed to do.

You are correct in that many viruses are quite fragile and are easily destroyed when subject to different environments. However, filtering the blood would only get rid of free floating viral particles and would do nothing about the countless hijacked cells which are producing copies of the virus and haven't bursted yet.

 

[terrisus]

I'm curious as to know how some of the leading doctors have caught it. I'm sure they are super cautious when treating others, so how do you think they might have got it? Unless they weren't as cautious as I believe they would be? It's weird.

You can take all the precautions in the world - accidents happen.

 

[NeckToChicken]

I don't know why I'm getting so much negativity from my suggestion.

I will hold my tongue and try to explain the most immediate thing that comes to mind:

So you've cleansed a bit of blood. Where does it go? Right back into the body. So drawing off portions of blood to cleanse is out of the question, you'll have to completely funnel the blood supply into the apparatus and back into the body at roughly the same point. Possibly back into more contaminated blood.

EVEN THEN, it's not just blood that's packed with virus. It's fluids all over your body, some of which you can't exactly draw off and clean with ease. Our body keeps our delicious cerebrospinal fluids hidden away. That's why your source says "holds promise in blood transfusions" rather than "we will kill all virus".

 

[terrisus]

Our body keeps our delicious cerebrospinal fluids hidden away.

So that's what you medical people are after :þ

 

[theDeeDubs]

Money in the mouth is disgusting. The environment contaminated with fluids, for Ebola, would be more like knives and needles, opposed to stuff like unwashed lettuce. Not sure about all the strains but Ebola Zaire doesn't last more than a few seconds in the air.

Gotcha, thanks.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Because

1) You admitted to having little/no medical knowledge

True, but this has no bearing on whether or not my suggestion is a good suggestion.

2) Despite this, you reacted with surprise and disappointment that this hasn't been "cured"

My surprise and disappointment was at the fact that we apparently haven't cured any viruses, not just Ebola.

3) You then proceed to offer up numerous "solutions" - despite point 1, and oblivious to the fact that, if it were that easy, obviously people who actually do have medical knowledge would've thought of it/tried it

I was just trying to be helpful, no need to jump all over me. Besides, maybe my lack of medical knowledge frees me from entrenched industry prejudices regarding what is/isn't possible?

 

[Cyber Caesar]

I'm curious as to know how some of the leading doctors have caught it. I'm sure they are super cautious when treating others, so how do you think they might have got it? Unless they weren't as cautious as I believe they would be? It's weird.

Human error, I would image the heighten stress levels don't help either. Everything the gloved hand touches is a hazard. Stress is a bitch. When I get nervous I scratch a lot.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

I will hold my tongue and try to explain the most immediate thing that comes to mind:

So you've cleansed a bit of blood. Where does it go? Right back into the body. So drawing off portions of blood to cleanse is out of the question, you'll have to completely funnel the blood supply into the apparatus and back into the body at roughly the same point. Possibly back into more contaminated blood.

EVEN THEN, it's not just blood that's packed with virus. It's fluids all over your body, some of which you can't exactly draw off and clean with ease. Our body keeps our delicious cerebrospinal fluids hidden away. That's why your source says "holds promise in blood transfusions" rather than "we will kill all virus".

Well yeah, it'd only work for viruses in the blood. But I'm guessing there are some blood-viruses, so it might be useful for those. Obviously it would work better if you caught it early before it went into all the organs.

Edit: alright it's 2am here, so I'm going to have to admit defeat for the night

 

[terrisus]

True, but this has no bearing on whether or not my suggestion is a good suggestion.

Having little to no medical knowledge "has no bearing on whether or not [your] suggestion is a good suggestion?..."

Well, I suppose it's not a good suggestion because it's not a good suggestion.

 

[Raist]

True, but this has no bearing on whether or not my suggestion is a good suggestion.

Well yeah, it does.

My surprise and disappointment was at the fact that we apparently haven't cured any viruses, not just Ebola.

Because you just can't cure a virus, by the traditional definition of "cure".

I was just trying to be helpful, no need to jump all over me. Besides, maybe my lack of medical knowledge frees me from entrenched industry prejudices regarding what is/isn't possible?

It's not a prejudice, it's a fact based on knowledge you're lacking.
First, it's not reasonably possible to recirculate every single drop of blood through a machine.
Second, viruses don't just hang around isolated in "blood". They infect cells. That's what they do, otherwise they're hopeless.
Third, take HIV for instance. It infects CD4 T cells and macrophages. They're called "white blood cells" but that's a historical definition which is not accurate at all. They also circulate through the lymph. Stick around in lymph nodes. A vast proportion of them sit in tissues, in many cases likely for years, without ever going back to the periphery.

So no, your ideas aren't very good, even if stemming from a research group who dropped the classic "this has applications for x, y and z" when it likely won't, or has been misquoted. That particular group has published a total of 4 papers in the last 7 years, by the way. All derivatives of the original one, just playing around with zapping different viruses in test tubes with their magic light.

 

[Epcott]

Ebola week continues!

!

 

[Mysterious]

There are some drugs that drastically slow their abilities to grow but for the most part, the procedure for viruses is "manage the symptoms until the immune system does the killing" or "manage the symptoms to minimize pain until the patient passes." There are no drugs that kill them outright, not even something as mundane as the common cold.

You cannot kill something that does not live. Viruses are not living beings, unlike bacteria.

 

[NeckToChicken]

So that's what you medical people are after :þ

What did you think those emergency generators in hospitals are for? Keeps the morgue/bar combos cool.

My surprise and disappointment was at the fact that we apparently haven't cured any viruses, not just Ebola.

I think you may be underestimating how much the body has fine tuned itself to combat microorganisms. It is capable of painting targets, producing chemicals that would kill you if created unchecked, and consuming the infected inside you while leaving working cells alone.

We can help identify targets that need to be painted with vaccines of killed or attenuated virus, but there isn't too much we can do to attack viruses directly. It's not like bacteria where we can exploit unique properties of individual bacteria to leave the host (somewhat) unharmed.

Stick(s) around in lymph nodes.

If I'm remembering correctly, doesn't ebola linger in semen? Imagine the (medically prescribed) handys you'd have to endure with your hemorrhagic fever.

 

[CornBurrito]

True, but this has no bearing on whether or not my suggestion is a good suggestion.

I was just trying to be helpful, no need to jump all over me. Besides, maybe my lack of medical knowledge frees me from entrenched industry prejudices regarding what is/isn't possible?

Actually yes, yes it does have a bearing on whether or not your suggestion is a good suggestion. Your suggestions are impossible. Your "remove all their blood and expose it to UV" wouldn't work and would kill the patient.

 

[Cyber Caesar]

Just learned that Ebola can be contracted from bat droppings, bat saliva as well. Bat lands on your fruit and licks it, you eat it then you can contract.

Movie nightmare scenario, bat stows away on plane then infects a population of Atlanta pigeons or rats.

 

[QuicheFontaine]

Actually yes, yes it does have a bearing on whether or not your suggestion is a good suggestion. Your suggestions are impossible. Your "remove all their blood and expose it to UV" wouldn't work and would kill the patient.

I never suggested UV!

 

[Elfforkusu]

Just learned that Ebola can be contracted from bat droppings, bat saliva as well. Bat lands on your fruit and licks it, you eat it then you can contract.

Movie nightmare scenario, bat stows away on plane then infects a population of Atlanta pigeons or rats.

I wasn't worried at all... but now I'm slightly worried.

Asshole!

 

[cbrun44]

I live just a few miles from Emory and the CDC. No worries here.

 

[Partial Gamification]

Just learned that Ebola can be contracted from bat droppings, bat saliva as well. Bat lands on your fruit and licks it, you eat it then you can contract.

Movie nightmare scenario, bat stows away on plane then infects a population of Atlanta pigeons or rats.

Do you have a link for the saliva on fruit? I could see the saliva not drying out on a moist piece of fruit but I'm curious from what study or observation its from.

 

[terrisus]

What did you think those emergency generators in hospitals are for? Keeps the morgue/bar combos cool.

If I'm remembering correctly, doesn't ebola linger in semen? Imagine the (medically prescribed) handys you'd have to endure with your hemorrhagic fever.

And now you're after semen too?!

You medical people make me sick!

Spoiler

<3

 

[Madness]

LOL ebola is serious allright but it's a fucking joke that people are worried for a massive worldwide outbreak, you have to touch an infected person fluids (poop, blood, saliva) to get it. There's no danger to bringing the missionaries to the US as long as the necessary precautions are taken.
Now if somehow Ebola would get mutated or weaponized into an airborne virus that would be.....extremely bad.

I think movies like Outbreak didn't help. I mean sure they got the word out just how quickly disease can spread, how it can be contained etc.

But it also creates fear-mongering and it's one of the most used topics in movies the past decade too (I am Legend, the Walking Dead, World War Z) type films where contagious diseases or viruses spread rapidly.

Ebola can be easily managed in the US, adequate hygiene precautions, nourishment and hydration. To say it's still not dangerous is pretty poor. This is the worst outbreak of Ebola ever, and unless they contain it fully in Africa, it'll spread quickly. It may not be airborne, but it can be spread from fluids like blood, urine, stool, saliva, even sweat. Think about that.

 

[Brakke]

Besides, maybe my lack of medical knowledge frees me from entrenched industry prejudices regarding what is/isn't possible?

Nailed it.

 

[sangreal]

I think movies like Outbreak didn't help. I mean sure they got the word out just how quickly disease can spread, how it can be contained etc.

But it also creates fear-mongering and it's one of the most used topics in movies the past decade too (I am Legend, the Walking Dead, World War Z) type films where contagious diseases or viruses spread rapidly.

It also happens to have been running on HBO (or one of the other premium movie channels) non-stop recently

 

[terrisus]

It also happens to have been running on HBO (or one of the other premium movie channels) non-stop recently

Can't imagine why...

 

[Cyber Caesar]

http://www.nationaljournal.com/defense/airports-have-no-way-to-screen-for-ebola-20140801

Are flights currently arriving from Africa to the states? This is getting kinda reckless. We're smarter than this. Aren't we?

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Are our people home yet?