Ebola, more prevalent than you think

We are currently experiencing an outbreak of Ebola of unprecedented proportions that, if unchecked, represents one of the greatest dangers to our society that has been experienced in a long time; it has already made history and hopefully we have learned some humility as a species, but I don't hold out much hope for us based on the actions of those in charge.

So this outbreak began with a single case in December 2013 which has since become an offical 9936, as of this posting.

And the past out breaks were in the 60`s and early 80`s with nothing since, right?

Wrong.

It has sporadically been cropping up since the the first recognized outbreaks of the mid 70's.

And this shows that it may have been simmering along at a low level for quite some time unrecognized:

We tested serum samples from 253 patients submitted to the Lassa Diagnostic Laboratory during 2006–2008 for IgM to the arthropod-borne and hemorrhagic fever viruses of interest (Table 2). Because of limited amounts of serum, not all samples were tested for antibodies to all viruses. Of the arthropod-borne viruses, the prevalence of DENV antibodies (4.3%) was highest, followed by CHIKV (4.0%). The prevalences of other viruses were [less than] 3.0%; WNV, 2.8%; YFV, 2.5%; and RVFV, 2.0% of patients tested. No antibodies to the tick-borne virus, CCHFV, were found in any samples tested. Antibody prevalence to the hemorrhagic fever viruses, EBOV and MBGV, were 8.6% and 3.6%, respectively.

Undiagnosed Acute Viral Febrile Illnesses, Sierra Leone

So nearly 9% of undaignosed viral diseases from 2006-2008 have been Ebola. And this is onlu from samples obtained, if this is representative of people in the general population then the implications are profound.

In some parts of West Africa, such as the rural area in southwestern Guinea near where the outbreak began, there are troubling indications that infections are continuing at relatively low but steady level from week-to-week.

That suggests a simmering, steady-state rate of transmission that is just as troubling as the exponential growth observed in the outbreak as a whole, according to Christopher Dye, the World Health Organization's director of strategy. 

This type of infection chain could continue on long after a large and flashy outbreak would appear to be contained; resulting in the ongoing potential for another flare up after everyone's guard is let down.

"The question we're raising is to put in people's minds that the epidemic might not be eliminated from the human population completely for a very long time," Dye said this week in an interview from Geneva. Unless global intervention begins to kick in soon, "at the moment we see no reason why that steady state will not continue to go on and on," he said.

Terrifying new normal? An Ebola outbreak that never really goes away.

Oh yeah, it seems as though there was a case prior to any recorded outbreak:

In 1972, a full four years before the Ebola virus even had a name, Dr. Thomas Cairns was a young doctor doing missionary work in the dense jungles of Zaire — a sprawling central African nation now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

...

"Twelve days later I became acutely ill," Cairns said. "I had a very high fever, intense aching, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, rash. My skin was peeling. I lost hearing in one ear for weeks. My hair turned white. We didn't know what was happening to me."

Sound familiar?

Well, what about testing?

At the time, Cairns recalled, epidemiologists had fanned out across the region to collect blood samples from the indigenous population. They also took samples from about 50 expatriates working and living in the area. Cairns was included in the sample, and stood out immediately: He was the only one who carried a large amount of antibodies resistant to the Ebola virus

And

"That's when we knew: I was, in all likelihood, the first non-African survivor of the Ebola virus," he said.

What does tgis mean for current research?

Health officials were so enamored with the level of Ebola antibodies they discovered in his blood that they took samples to store in the CDC freezers in Atlanta, to study and to use to help treat those who may come in contact with the virus in the future. (Over those initial years, Cairns gave several specimens to health workers but his antibody levels eventually lessened as he grew older, making his blood less immune to the disease than it once was.)

The Man Who Survived Ebola: 'We Thought It Was Going to Kill Me

This also supports the idea that immunity wears off after a time.

Related thread:

Could the Ebola Outbreak Last Forever?

This is why I left NYC. It's no Liberia but it's far from pristine. It can and will spread down there. Not a good situation at all.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

Well if its spreading at such a pace then I sure hope I don't live to be 150 years old otherwise my chances of contracting Ebola might have risen to 1% by then!

Oh the humanity!!!!

Anyone know if Doctors Without Borders is a CIA front. I have wondered this for years. Any info out there? This latest doctor seems like such a psy-op to me.

(SNIP)

With new cases popping up regularly, with a disease that has a close to 90% kill rate within days of becoming ill. I think people have a good reason to be concerned and to discuss it. I do remember the first outbreaks in the 1970's when they said it was contained and gone. Well, it is not and it is spreading, now worldwide, and that is of great concern to many of us.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

if unchecked, represents one of the greatest dangers to our society that has been experienced in a long time;

I don't get it. According to a number of alternative media outlets, the end of the US was going to start in Texas. It didn't.
The hysterics are now focused on NYC. It isn't going to happen there either.

In NYC there is competition for the title of greatest threat to our society. There's a lot of squeaky wheels writing about Ebola when there is a list of 20 things, including a Fascist occupying army (NYPD) that aren't perceived as an imminent threat.

I don't see any logic in it and with the near constant onslaught of hysterics, I have to wonder which profit machines are lining up to feed on this. What is the payoff for all these hysterics?

a reply to: Yeahkeepwatchingme

It is not a serious threat, unless its airborn. It is not spread that easily. Sure if you are working with a patient there is a risk. You are handling bodily fluids.

Granted yes it is a hot topic,but I do not see the need for a new thread LITERALLY every 10 min or so.

a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

Amen!!

This thing is overhyped. With all due respect to the OP, who obviously put in a little research and has a different opinion, this disease is one of the hardest to spread diseases imaginable. There is a lot to be scared of in this world and a million ways to die but.......Ebola is probably not going to be what kills you!!

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

I began utilizing a spray bottle with a bleach solution. I spray my dollars with it, and my hands.

Is there something better to use than bleach solution?

a reply to: loveguy

yes, get one of those germ killing uv-c lights, you can decontaminate your money and other objects,but, it says do not shine it on your skin or in your eyes (eyes that's a duh but people can be stupid)




I carry a small bottle of sanitizer gel with me.

originally posted by: seabag
a reply to: InverseLookingGlass

Amen!!

This thing is overhyped. With all due respect to the OP, who obviously put in a little research and has a different opinion, this disease is one of the hardest to spread diseases imaginable. There is a lot to be scared of in this world and a million ways to die but.......Ebola is probably not going to be what kills you!!

It takes a few seconds to use google and figure out that you're very, very ignorant as to how Ebola is spread. Yes, it's "direct contact with bodily fluids", exactly like... Wait for it... Influenza! Are you going to tell me the flu is hard to catch too? A lot of people have this delusion that the flu is airborne and you have to drink a gallon of an Ebola patient's bloody vomit to contract it. Neither are true, it is in fact easier to catch Ebola than it is the flu as they're spread exactly the same way and it takes less of the Ebola virus to infect you.

a reply to: kurthall

We have a Rant forum where several people complained about the same thing.

Updates on Ebola to me are worthy of forum space. This is a conspiracy site. It's currently a very hot topic with many other conspiracies tied into it. Sure to many it's doom and fear mongering but if anything the cases here have exposed how absolutely evil the governments are when they don't let any crisis go to waste.

I don't believe the politicians trying to calm people down, or the news or whoever shows up to the press conference in the nicest suit. Things like Ebola have proven to us our governments are not capable of handling a situation like this, because they do not want it contained.

I dont think the virus is that common here in the states, from what I've read the virus was discovered for the first time in the 1970s and somehow was found in bat poop in Africa

the virus spreading today is via human body fluids from a bleeding vomiting sick patient

not sure how accurate the reports are

Not surprised.

Lassa cant be pretty treatable but if you read up on experiences in hospitals out there they get haemorrhagic cases out there that dont respond to anything. Most the time they just dont have resources to do the blood work.

a reply to: jadedANDcynical

We live in a dangerous world. But I still want to eat bushmeat (venison, grouse and duck at least) and I do NOT want to be force-fed factory-farmed differently-contaminated crap.

Wish we hadn't already defecated all over our planet home. Everything's already exposed, and mutating and adapting. Hope we can keep up. Well, some of us anyway. Either way, the viruses and microbes have a huge head-start.

originally posted by: seabag
this disease is one of the hardest to spread diseases imaginable.

No its not. It it was that hard it would not be a Cat 4 organism.

Sure its not the most infectious far from it but its hardly one of the "hardest to spread diseases" either.