Posted on 05/29/2009 8:29:44 AM PDT by null and void
By AP Medical Writer ATLANTA (AP) - Scientists have identified a lethal new virus in Africa that causes bleeding like the dreaded Ebola virus. The so-called "Lujo" virus infected five people in Zambia and South Africa last fall. Four of them died, but a fifth survived, perhaps helped by a medicine recommended by the scientists.
It's not clear how the first person became infected, but the bug comes from a family of viruses found in rodents,
...
"This one is really, really aggressive" he said of the virus.
...
A paramedic in Lusaka who treated her also became sick, was transported to Johannesburg and died. The three others infected were health care workers in Johannesburg.
Investigators believe the virus spread from person to person through contact with infected body fluids.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
"This one is really, really aggressive"...
ping
Maybe the nukes should fall in Africa. Ther sure is a lot of sickness coming out of that place.
I wonder which is worse - this new virus or Ebola.
Obama’s fault.
Hard call. This one seems to be more infectious, but also seems to respond well to antivirals.
Dunno.
and
They think this one comes from rodents.
Better that than the Government, State and Localities
Hope the CDC is on this just in case.
thanks, bfl
Lujo virus (LUJV), a new member of the family Arenaviridae and the first hemorrhagic fever–associated arenavirus from the Old World discovered in three decades, was isolated in South Africa during an outbreak of human disease characterized by nosocomial transmission and an unprecedented high case fatality rate of 80% (4/5 cases). Unbiased pyrosequencing of RNA extracts from serum and tissues of outbreak victims enabled identification and detailed phylogenetic characterization within 72 hours of sample receipt. Full genome analyses of LUJV showed it to be unique and branching off the ancestral node of the Old World arenaviruses. The virus G1 glycoprotein sequence was highly diverse and almost equidistant from that of other Old World and New World arenaviruses, consistent with a potential distinctive receptor tropism. LUJV is a novel, genetically distinct, highly pathogenic arenavirus.
Praise the Lord! Long live diversity! Thank the Lord! The pyrosequencing was not biased. /s
I don't know... this statement seems to imply that it's not so easily transmitted:
"Investigators believe the virus spread from person to person through contact with infected body fluids."
Just recalling from other outbreaks, ie Angola Marburg, staying away from body fluids is very difficult in African health care. This is due to farming, medical practices and burial practices. Burial practices are almost unbreakable rituals in some areas.
Both Doctors without Borders and the WHO had extreme difficulties protecting their workers, and their patients, not to mention the political situation in many areas.
Chances are we’ll see more of this, but what we hear may not be what is happening.
Ping...(just when you thought it was ‘safe’ to go on safari...) Thanks, nully!
It has been speculated that Ebola/Marburg viruses travel in migratory fruit bat populations, and that either eating the bats, contact with guano, or eating infected primate meat (”bushmeat”), are the transfer links to human populations.
To add a tad, for most Americans, "bodily fluids" include mucosal secretions, semen, and blood. For the purposes of transmission of these virii, sweat, feces, dandruff, and even tears should be added.
Between the common medical practice of re-using hypodermic needles, questionable to nonexistent sanitation (open sewers), and burial rites which include physical contact with the corpse by mourners, there is tremendous difficulty and cultural inertial against keeping the outbreaks contained.
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