Ebola...

Do you think that Ebola could be used as a weapon against another country? Or is that not possible... I know how deadly that the virus can be...I want to be a Virologist....

i think that and just about anything can be used as weapons...I just dont think the U.S would use ebola. Using virus' like that is more like a terrorist action

Do you think that someone would actually use it? We're talking about the potential to wipe out the human race, and who knows what animals.

Really it's hard to say. They would have to have a deathwish...

It would be very difficult for terrorists to deploy as the risks of self contamination are very high. It's not the easiest of viruses to obtain and there are far more effective chemicals and viruses that can be used.

It's also relatively unknown what it's capabilities and properties are. Different strains react in different ways. Some rely on transmission of bodily fluids and it is believed some are airborne. There is also the fact that different strains have different levels of mortality rates.

I don't see governments using it as a weapon. It's one of those things that hits hard at human morality. No democratic society would sit back and let it's government use it. In return any government that did try to use it would probably leave themselves morally open to a retaliatory nuclear strike.


[Edited on 6-2-2004 by Leveller]

Ebola may already be a weapon. It may be a man made virus deployed for world population control.

Ebola is one of the worst viruses though...WHile it wouldn't be easy to attain, couldn't an employ at a BioFac get it and take it with them?

What is that picture of DR?

Ebola is one of the worst viruses though...WHile it wouldn't be easy to attain, couldn't an employ at a BioFac get it and take it with them?

What is that picture of DR?

The picture is ebola. It's quite an unusual virus as you can see by it's elongated shape. It's known as a "filovirus".
As for an employee at a biofacility taking away ebola, it's highly unlikely. Ebola is dealt with under the highest level of containment (I believe it's Level 4). This means the full suit and mask, umbilicus, the highest security.
I believe that there are only 2 or 3 other viruses that have such a high classification - one of those being Rift Valley Fever Virus.

collection.nlc-bnc.ca...

[Edited on 6-2-2004 by Leveller]

I don't see any government using it as a weapon for a few reasons. The first reason being there is no known cure that I know of, meaning theres no stopping it. Even if we used it in a bomb the chances of the disease spreading worldwide is very good. I also don't think any terrorist would inject it into themselve for it is very hard to get your hands on and also i dont think they would b able to infect too many people being the virus will kill u in less than 24hrs I think.

I understand Ebola is TO effective therefore it burns itself out killing to quickly for it to have any real chance of mass spread. Also it is only transmitted via fluids as I understand. That is how it has spread as the Nations that have had epidemics have rituals were the realatives of the dead TOUCH the dead body for one last goodbye. Thus virus has opportunity to jump to new host before it completely runs its course.
Any other info out there?

I believe it actually kills in one to two weeks depending on the strain. The second problem is that it has a high mortaily rate, which isint always desireable for a biological weapon. Two sick enemy soldeirs are better than four dead ones, beause a sick/incapacitated soldeir must be helped by another, while dead ones can be left behind.

That being said I don't think it can be ruled out as a biologiccal weapon, because it has the potential to be useful if it was engineered to be a bit more robust and perhaps a bit less deadly. Make it airbourne and voila, you have a working bioweapon that has a name that strikes fear into anyone who hears it.

Watch the movie Outbreak, I know it's Hollywood, but if it's even 10% reality that's scary.

Read Executive Orders (terrorists use Ebola in America) and Rainbow 6 (environmentalist nuts genetically engineer ebola and cancer to kill off humanity).

I've seen outbreak, it's what started my interest in Ebola, and the whole Virology field. That's what I wan't to go into someday...

Bill

A good read for u would be "The Hot Zone" i forget who the author is, but its a great book. I too at one time wanted to be Virologist. (spelling?) I read that book and was really interested.