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Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

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Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#11

Post by anonymfus »

faitswulff wrote: post #6

Tangential, but if a virus's contagion is regulated by its virulence (that is, very deadly viruses are less contagious because they kill their hosts) does that mean widespread access to modern medicine could remove the upper bound on virulence by keeping the hosts alive? I could probably formulate this question better, but the basic question is, "could virus's symptoms be getting worse in general?"

Modern medicine also means earlier detection and quarantine, so by the same logic it should mean less pronounced symptoms so a virus could hide longer.

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#12

Post by cojxd »

mc32 wrote: post #8
cojxd wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Darwinism in action. Isn't this forum pro-theory of evolution and against imperialism?

Imperialism has both good and bad. The bad comes in the form of top down governance. The good comes in the form of modernization. See Roman and imperial China Empires among others.

True. If you want modernisation from imperialism then you get top down governance. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#13

Post by Iv »

cojxd wrote: post #7
cm2187 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect it has more to do with anti-westerners.

Darwinism in action. Isn't this forum pro-theory of evolution and against imperialism?

This is not because you understand the theory of evolution that you consider it a moral thing to happen.

Actually, letting the weak die and selecting only the fittest is almost diametrically opposed to the very idea of civilization. Our goal as civilized animals is to make selection an outdated part of evolution. Cure the sick, help the handicap, preserve the old, protect the young.

We don't let people die to diseases in order to strengthen mankind. We take the helm and exterminate pathogens.

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#14

Post by JshWright »

coldcode wrote: post #10

Wait until it gets into the US in a marginal part of society. Given we have no universal health care, it's likely to spread and evolve faster than we can stop it. The person in Dallas could have infected the homeless person in the same ambulance who subsequently wandered off. Imagine an illegal person catching it and fearing discovery tries to avoid a hospital, only to infect those they are sharing a tiny room with.

What is an illegal person...?

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#15

Post by danijelb »

JshWright wrote: post #14
coldcode wrote: post #10

Wait until it gets into the US in a marginal part of society. Given we have no universal health care, it's likely to spread and evolve faster than we can stop it. The person in Dallas could have infected the homeless person in the same ambulance who subsequently wandered off. Imagine an illegal person catching it and fearing discovery tries to avoid a hospital, only to infect those they are sharing a tiny room with.

What is an illegal person...?

It's a person who illegally crossed the border with a goal to live in a country where they can't live legally

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#16

Post by nkozyra »

faitswulff wrote: post #6

Tangential, but if a virus's contagion is regulated by its virulence (that is, very deadly viruses are less contagious because they kill their hosts) does that mean widespread access to modern medicine could remove the upper bound on virulence by keeping the hosts alive? I could probably formulate this question better, but the basic question is, "could virus's symptoms be getting worse in general?"

But if you can keep them alive the virus is somewhat mitigated. It may make the virus more pervasive, but less deadly.

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#17

Post by maxerickson »

coldcode wrote: post #10

Wait until it gets into the US in a marginal part of society. Given we have no universal health care, it's likely to spread and evolve faster than we can stop it. The person in Dallas could have infected the homeless person in the same ambulance who subsequently wandered off. Imagine an illegal person catching it and fearing discovery tries to avoid a hospital, only to infect those they are sharing a tiny room with.

You know we have a pretty extensive public health infrastructure in the US? And lots and lots of money and resources?

Combine those things and the primary method of controlling a disease like Ebola is pretty straightforward, you have teams of people find and isolate every single person that had potential exposure to a known infectee.

That you can trace from each known infectee is an important part of it, you don't have to discover the exact chain of infection to achieve a decent level of containment.

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#18

Post by tick_tock_tick »

coldcode wrote: post #10

Wait until it gets into the US in a marginal part of society. Given we have no universal health care, it's likely to spread and evolve faster than we can stop it. The person in Dallas could have infected the homeless person in the same ambulance who subsequently wandered off. Imagine an illegal person catching it and fearing discovery tries to avoid a hospital, only to infect those they are sharing a tiny room with.

We didn't have universal healthcare when we stamped out polio, smallpox, or yellow fever. I don't know why you'd think it would stop us now.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diseases_eliminated_fr...

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#19

Post by maxerickson »

faitswulff wrote: post #6

Tangential, but if a virus's contagion is regulated by its virulence (that is, very deadly viruses are less contagious because they kill their hosts) does that mean widespread access to modern medicine could remove the upper bound on virulence by keeping the hosts alive? I could probably formulate this question better, but the basic question is, "could virus's symptoms be getting worse in general?"

They probably look like the flu, which mutates rapidly, with the virulence and symptoms drifting around.

The rapid mutation is why annual vaccinations are necessary.

Re: Is Ebola Evolving into a Deadlier Virus?

#20

Post by afarrell »

tick_tock_tick wrote: post #18
coldcode wrote: post #10

Wait until it gets into the US in a marginal part of society. Given we have no universal health care, it's likely to spread and evolve faster than we can stop it. The person in Dallas could have infected the homeless person in the same ambulance who subsequently wandered off. Imagine an illegal person catching it and fearing discovery tries to avoid a hospital, only to infect those they are sharing a tiny room with.

We didn't have universal healthcare when we stamped out polio, smallpox, or yellow fever. I don't know why you'd think it would stop us now. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_diseases_eliminated_fr...

We stamped those diseases out after thousands had contracted them.
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