EBOLA What's your personal line in the sand re: Ebola?

[Tennessee gal]

I will self quarantine if it shows up in my county or any of the surrounding counties .

 

[Echo38]

Within 100miles and we will go on lock down have all ready cancelled any more sight seeing on the way home to avoid as many people as possible, are in SD now waiting on weather to clear so we can head on down the road, will top off animal food stores as soon as we get home other than that will be good to go only one I figure to have problem out of is son and if he continues to work he will just be not be allowed in the house has his own trailer so not that big of deal except he will have to do his own cooking and cleaning as his other half and daughter will be staying with me.

 

[raven]

Today is day 9 from the first day that Thomas Eric Duncan first noticed that he was getting sick.
As a side note, isn't it interesting that he has a 3 first names. And that he has three names. Like Lee Harvey Oswald.
And just as a coincidence, I woke this morning to a very nice fall day. Almost needed a long sleeve shirt. Because it is officially fall here. You know, cold and flu season.
So, if someone woke up this morning feeling a little cold coming on it would surprise no one. Here take a little Nyquil and some ibuprofen and you'll feel better in the morning. And remember Hon, we are going to the state fair this weekend.

I read some folks imagining what would happen if. Try this imagining.
Lets say you have a community with a large population of west africans. These people have family and friends in the home country who have died from Ebola. And they have family and friends that are quarantined from Ebola. In fact, there may be many who fled Ebola. This is their special expertise. They know that they survived Ebola by fleeing.
So, it is Oct 1 and the EBT card just got filled up - I have no idea how that works - I only know that somehow, they have money on the first.
And that very day, they find out that the man down the street has Ebola. And they find out that his family is quarantined.
I can't say what they will do - I don't know - And I have not seen any reports - I am just imagining.
What do you think they will do? And remember, Oct 1 is 6 days after TED (Thomas Eric Duncan) first started getting sick.
BTW, that is really freaky. He has 3 first names and his initials create a 4th first name.

 

[Betty_Rose]

Luckily, I jettisoned the more ethnic district that I subbed for last year and replaced it with a less ethnic and closer district. Yes, that sounds racist. But it's not about the children, it's about the politically correct garbage and racism against white English speaking people that I gave up fighting.

When EVERYTHING is "racist," nothing is racist.

The word is so overused now that it has come to have no meaning or relevance.

Perhaps the one good thing about Ebola is that it will show us that political correctness and "refusing to call a spade a spade," nearly did us in.

Hopefully.

Glad you're out of the ethic districts.

 

[L.A.B.]

L.A.B. - I know what you are talking about. The female mind (at least most I have experienced) just does NOT want to hear about this stuff. It has to get critical and in their faces threatening before they listen. I have been working on it for years and I get the old hand wave routine... and then "we have to live our lives" blow off. I usually say- fine, but when this or that happens... here is what I will do and not do for you and here is how YOU will suffer for it. I make it clear that when they go off on their own, it is outside my realm of protection and assistance. And if they bring home some horrible disease, they will not be in my house.

Which reminds me... we have a "tree house" structure that can serve as a crude shelter for quarantined people. Could easily handle 6. Need to get some windows in it.

Remember the bed making scene from 'The Day After' from the mid-80's. Momma starts making the bed even as she hears the news of the birds away as NORAD tracks and relays. Dad has to pick her up screaming in terror to take her to the fallout shelter. It breaks my heart to see the ones we are suppose to protect get that way. Brings out the Red-Haired Viking and the Native American side of me for some CQC to chill a few cubes in the tray. (Deep Breath)... .. .

LightEcho, [on a lighter note] CT is a long bus ride or I'd get your tree house to 50% filled occupancy. The girls are over dosing on CNN 'on the rocks' AKA CNN & Ice 'S. Ice hut's doesn't concern me even one third as much as a bio-plague; except that they may catapult it!

 

[Sacajawea]

Have been gradually pulling into the turtle shell all summer. Total lockdown, based on Kris' numbers, probably at 4-6 cases per week, anywhere in the country. When that gets to 50-100 per week, I imagine a lot of people will lock down.

 

[Betty_Rose]

Total lockdown, based on Kris' numbers, probably at 4-6 cases per week, anywhere in the country. When that gets to 50-100 per week, I imagine a lot of people will lock down.

Where are Kris' numbers?

 

[Nowski]

I have "The Day After" in my video library.
Its an excellent prepper film.

We are much closer to the events portrayed in that film,
than most would realize.

Self quarantined for the most part already.

USA was safe from ebola, due to its geographical location.

This virus was brought here on purpose.

Regards to all,
Nowski

 

[Border guard]

It says here: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/lab-bio/res/psds-ftss/ebola-eng.php that Ebola will survive down to 4C or 39F and 30%-40% humidity. Where Ebola is a tropical disease, I'll take my chances with the cold, dry air in N. Maine.

EBOLAVIRUS

For more information about Ebola, visit Ebola Virus Disease
PATHOGEN SAFETY DATA SHEET - INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES
SECTION I - INFECTIOUS AGENT

NAME: Ebolavirus

SYNONYM OR CROSS REFERENCE: African haemorrhagic fever, Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF, Ebola HF), filovirus, EBO virus (EBOV), Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV, SUDV), Ivory Coast ebolavirus (ICEBOV), Tai Forest ebolavirus (TAFV), Ebola-Reston (REBOV, EBO-R, Reston Virus, RESTV), Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BEBOV, BDBV), and Ebola virus disease (EVD) Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 3 Footnote 4.

CHARACTERISTICS: Ebola was discovered in 1976 and is a member of the Filoviridae family (previously part of Rhabdoviridae family, which were later given a family of their own based on their genetic structure). Five Ebola species have been identified: Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), which was first identified in 1976 and is the most virulent; Sudan ebolavirus, (SEBOV); Tai Forest ebolavirus (formerly Ivory Coast ebolavirus); Ebola-Reston (REBOV), originating from the Philippines; and Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BEBOV), the most recent species discovered (2008) Footnote 1 Footnote 3 Footnote 5 Footnote 6 Footnote 7.

Ebola is an elongated filamentous virus, which can vary between 800 - 1000 nm in length, and can reach up to 14000 nm long (due to concatamerization) with a uniform diameter of 80 nm Footnote 2 Footnote 5 Footnote 8 Footnote 9. It contains a helical nucleocapsid (with a central axis), 20 - 30 nm in diameter, and is enveloped by a helical capsid, 40 - 50 nm in diameter, with 5 nm cross-striations Footnote 2 Footnote 5 Footnote 8 Footnote 9 Footnote 10. The pleomorphic viral fragment may take on several distinct shapes (e.g., in the shape of a "6", a "U", or a circle), and are contained within a lipid membrane Footnote 2 Footnote 5. Each virion contains a single-strand of non-segmented, negative-sense viral genomic RNA Footnote 5 Footnote 11.
SECTION II - HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

PATHOGENICITY/TOXICITY: Ebola virions enter host cells through endocytosis and replication occurs in the cytoplasm. Upon infection, the virus affects the host blood coagulative and immune defence system and leads to severe immunosuppression Footnote 10 Footnote 12. Early signs of infection are non-specific and flu-like, and may include sudden onset of fever, asthenia, diarrhea, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, vomiting, and abdominal pains Footnote 13. Less common early symptoms include conjunctival injection, sore throat, rashes, and bleeding. Shock, cerebral oedema, coagulation disorders, and secondary bacterial infection may co-occur later in infection Footnote 8. Haemorrhagic symptoms may begin 4 - 5 days after onset, including hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, pharyngitis, bleeding gums, oral/lip ulceration, hematemesis, melena, hematuria, epistaxis, and vaginal bleeding Footnote 14. Hepatocellular damage, marrow suppression (such as thrombocytopenia and leucopenia), serum transaminase elevation, and proteinuria may also occur. Persons that are terminally ill typically present with obtundation, anuria, shock, tachypnea, normothermia to hypothermia, arthralgia, and ocular diseases Footnote 15. Haemorrhagic diathesis is often accompanied by hepatic damage and renal failure, central nervous system involvement, and terminal shock with multi-organ failure Footnote 1 Footnote 2. Contact with the virus may also result in symptoms such as severe acute viral illness, malaise, and maculopapular rash. Pregnant women will usually abort their foetuses and experience copious bleeding Footnote 2 Footnote 16. Fatality rates range between 50 - 100%, with most dying of hypovolemic shock and multisystem organ failure Footnote 17.

Pathogenicity between species of Ebola does not differ greatly in that they have all been associated with hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in humans (excluding Reston) and non-human primates. The Ebola-Zaire and Sudan strains are especially known for their virulence with up to 90% fatality rate Footnote 18, with reduced virulence noted in the Tai Forest ebolavirus and the more recently discovered Bundibugyo strain, which caused a single outbreak in Uganda Footnote 6 Footnote 7. Bundibugyo was the outbreak virus in Isiro, Democratic Republic of Congo, in 2012. Ebola-Reston was isolated from cynomolgus monkeys from the Philippines in 1989 and is less pathogenic in non-human primates. Ebola-Reston virus appears to be non-pathogenic in humans, with reported health effects limited to serological evidence of exposure as identified in 4 animal handlers working with infected non-human primates Footnote 19.

EPIDEMIOLOGY: Occurs mainly in areas surrounding rain forests in equatorial Africa Footnote 10 with the exception of Reston, which has been documented to originate in the Philippines Footnote 7. No predispositions to infection have been identified among infected persons.

The largest recorded ebolavirus outbreak to date began in March 2014, with initial cases reported in Guinea and then additional cases identified in the surrounding regions (Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria). A new strain of the ZEBOV species was identified as the causative agent of the outbreak Footnote 16 Footnote 21 Footnote 22.

HOST RANGE: Humans, various monkey species, chimpanzees, gorillas, baboons, and duikers are natural animal hosts for ebolavirus Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 5 Footnote 22 Footnote 23 Footnote 24 Footnote 25 Footnote 26 Footnote 27 Footnote 28 Footnote 29 Footnote 30 Footnote 31. Serological evidence of immunity markers to ebolavirus in serum collected from domesticated dogs suggests asymptomatic infection is plausible, likely following exposure to infected humans or animal carrion Footnote 32 Footnote 33. The Ebolavirus genome was discovered in two species of rodents and one species of shrew living in forest border areas, raising the possibility that these animals may be intermediary hosts Footnote 34. Experimental studies of the virus have been done using mouse, pig, guinea pig, and hamster models, suggesting wild-type ebolavirus has limited pathogenicity in these models Footnote 35 Footnote 36.

Bats are considered to be a plausible reservoir for the virus. Serological evidence of infection with ebolavirus (antibody detection to EBOV, ZEBOV, and/or REBOV) has been reported in fruit bats collected from woodland and forested areas near Ghana and Gabon, with reduced frequency of isolation from bats collected in mainland China and Bangladesh Footnote 37 Footnote 38 Footnote 39 Footnote 40.

INFECTIOUS DOSE: Viral hemorrhagic fevers have an infectious dose of 1 - 10 organisms by aerosol in non-human primates Footnote 41.

MODE OF TRANSMISSION: In an outbreak, it is hypothesized that the first patient becomes infected as a result of contact with an infected animal Footnote 22. Person-to-person transmission occurs via close personal contact with an infected individual or their body fluids during the late stages of infection or after death Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 22 Footnote 42. Nosocomial infections can occur through contact with infected body fluids for example due to the reuse of unsterilized syringes, needles, or other medical equipment contaminated with these fluids Footnote 1 Footnote 2. Humans may be infected by handling sick or dead non-human primates and are also at risk when handling the bodies of deceased humans in preparation for funerals Footnote 2 Footnote 10 Footnote 43.

In laboratory settings, non-human primates exposed to aerosolized ebolavirus from pigs have become infected, however, airborne transmission has not been demonstrated between non-human primates Footnote 1 Footnote 10 Footnote 15 Footnote 44 Footnote 45. Viral shedding has been observed in nasopharyngeal secretions and rectal swabs of pigs following experimental inoculation Footnote 29 Footnote 30.

INCUBATION PERIOD: Two to 21 days Footnote 1 Footnote 15 Footnote 17.

COMMUNICABILITY: Communicable as long as blood, body fluids or organs, contain the virus. Ebolavirus has been isolated from semen 61 to 82 days after the onset of illness, and transmission through semen has occurred 7 weeks after clinical recovery Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 59 Footnote 60.
SECTION III - DISSEMINATION

RESERVOIR: The natural reservoir of Ebola is unknown Footnote 1 Footnote 2. Antibodies to the virus have been found in the serum of domestic guinea pigs and wild rodents, with no relation to human transmission Footnote 34 Footnote 47. Serum antibodies and viral RNA have been identified in some bat species, suggesting bats may be a natural reservoir Footnote 37 Footnote 38 Footnote 39 Footnote 40.

ZOONOSIS: Zoonosis between humans and animal is suspected Footnote 2 Footnote 22 Footnote 37.

VECTORS: Unknown.
SECTION IV - STABILITY AND VIABILITY

All information available on stability and viability comes from peer-reviewed literature sources depicting experimental findings and is intended to support local risk assessments in a laboratory setting.

DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY: Unknown. Although clinical trials have been completed, no vaccine has been approved for treatment of ebolavirus. Similarly, no post-exposure measures have been reported as effective in treating ebolavirus infection in humans although several studies have been completed in animals to determine the efficacy of various treatments.

DRUG RESISTANCE: There are no known antiviral treatments available for human infections.

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISINFECTANTS: Ebolavirus is susceptible to 3% acetic acid, 1% glutaraldehyde, alcohol-based products, and dilutions (1:10-1:100 for ≥10 minutes) of 5.25% household bleach (sodium hypochlorite), and calcium hypochlorite (bleach powder) Footnote 48 Footnote 49 Footnote 50 Footnote 62 Footnote 63. The WHO recommendations for cleaning up spills of blood or body fluids suggest flooding the area with a 1:10 dilutions of 5.25% household bleach for 10 minutes for surfaces that can tolerate stronger bleach solutions (e.g., cement, metal) Footnote 62. For surfaces that may corrode or discolour, they recommend careful cleaning to remove visible stains followed by contact with a 1:100 dilution of 5.25% household bleach for more than 10 minutes.

PHYSICAL INACTIVATION: Ebola are moderately thermolabile and can be inactivated by heating for 30 minutes to 60 minutes at 60°C, boiling for 5 minutes, or gamma irradiation (1.2 x106 rads to 1.27 x106 rads) combined with 1% glutaraldehyde Footnote 10 Footnote 48 Footnote 50. Ebolavirus has also been determined to be moderately sensitive to UVC radiation Footnote 51.

SURVIVAL OUTSIDE HOST: Filoviruses have been reported capable to survive for weeks in blood and can also survive on contaminated surfaces, particularly at low temperatures (4°C) Footnote 52 Footnote 61. One study could not recover any Ebolavirus from experimentally contaminated surfaces (plastic, metal or glass) at room temperature Footnote 61. In another study, Ebolavirus dried onto glass, polymeric silicone rubber, or painted aluminum alloy is able to survive in the dark for several hours under ambient conditions (between 20 and 250C and 30–40% relative humidity) (amount of virus reduced to 37% after 15.4 hours), but is less stable than some other viral hemorrhagic fevers (Lassa) Footnote 53. When dried in tissue culture media onto glass and stored at 4 °C, Zaire ebolavirus survived for over 50 days Footnote 61. This information is based on experimental findings only and not based on observations in nature. This information is intended to be used to support local risk assessments in a laboratory setting.

A study on transmission of ebolavirus from fomites in an isolation ward concludes that the risk of transmission is low when recommended infection control guidelines for viral hemorrhagic fevers are followed Footnote 64. Infection control protocols included decontamination of floors with 0.5% bleach daily and decontamination of visibly contaminated surfaces with 0.05% bleach as necessary.
SECTION V - FIRST AID / MEDICAL

SURVEILLANCE: Definitive diagnosis can be reached rapidly in an appropriately equipped laboratory using a multitude of approaches, including RT-PCR to detect viral RNA, ELISA based techniques to detect anti-Ebola antibodies or viral antigens, immunoelectron microscopy to detect ebolavirus particles in tissues and cells, and indirect immunofluorescence to detect antiviral antibodies Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 14 Footnote 41. It is useful to note that the Marburg virus is morphologically indistinguishable from the ebolavirus, and laboratory surveillance of Ebola is extremely hazardous Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 14 Footnote 54. Please see the interim biosafety guidelines for laboratories handling specimens from patients under investigation for EVD for more information.

Note: All diagnostic methods are not necessarily available in all countries.

FIRST AID/TREATMENT: There is no effective antiviral treatment Footnote 27 Footnote 37. Instead, treatment is supportive, and is directed at maintaining organ function and electrolyte balance and combating haemorrhage and shock Footnote 22 Footnote 55.

IMMUNIZATION: None Footnote 27.

PROPHYLAXIS: None. Management of the Ebola virus is solely based on isolation and barrier-nursing with symptomatic and supportive treatments Footnote 8.
SECTION VI - LABORATORY HAZARDS

LABORATORY-ACQUIRED INFECTIONS: One reported near-fatal case following a minute finger prick in an English laboratory (1976) Footnote 56. A Swiss zoologist contracted Ebola virus after performing an autopsy on a chimpanzee in 1994 Footnote 2 Footnote 57. An incident occurred in Germany in 2009 when a laboratory scientist pricked herself with a needle that had just been used on a mouse infected with Ebola; however, human infection was not confirmed. Additional incidents were recorded in the US in 2004, and a fatal case in Russia in 2004 Footnote 8.

SOURCES/SPECIMENS: Blood, serum, urine, respiratory and throat secretions, semen, and organs or their homogenates from human or animal hosts Footnote 1 Footnote 2 Footnote 53. Human or animal hosts, including non-human primates, may represent a further source of infection Footnote 54.

PRIMARY HAZARDS: Accidental parenteral inoculation, respiratory exposure to infectious aerosols/droplets, and/or direct contact with skin or mucous membranes Footnote 54.

SPECIAL HAZARDS: Work with, or exposure to, infected non-human primates, rodents, or their carcasses represents a risk of human infection Footnote 54.
SECTION VII - EXPOSURE CONTROLS / PERSONAL PROTECTION

RISK GROUP CLASSIFICATION: Risk Group 4 Footnote 58.

CONTAINMENT REQUIREMENTS: Containment Level 4 facilities, equipment, and operational practices for work involving infectious or potentially infectious materials, animals, and cultures. Please see the interim biosafety guidelines for laboratories handling specimens from patients under investigation for EVD for more information.

PROTECTIVE CLOTHING: Personnel entering the laboratory must remove street clothing, including undergarments, and jewellery, and change into dedicated laboratory clothing and shoes, or don full coverage protective clothing (i.e., completely covering all street clothing). Additional protection may be worn over laboratory clothing when infectious materials are directly handled, such as solid-front gowns with tight fitting wrists, gloves, and respiratory protection. Eye protection must be used where there is a known or potential risk of exposure to splashes.

OTHER PRECAUTIONS: All activities with infectious material should be conducted in a biological safety cabinet (BSC) in combination with a positive pressure suit, or within a class III BSC line. Centrifugation of infected materials must be carried out in closed containers placed in sealed safety cups, or in rotors that are unloaded in a biological safety cabinet. The integrity of positive pressure suits must be routinely checked for leaks. The use of needles, syringes, and other sharp objects should be strictly limited. Open wounds, cuts, scratches, and grazes should be covered with waterproof dressings. Additional precautions should be considered with work involving animal activities.
SECTION VIII - HANDLING AND STORAGE

SPILLS: Allow aerosols to settle and, wearing protective clothing, gently cover spill with paper towels and apply suitable disinfectant, starting at the perimeter and working towards the centre. Allow sufficient contact time before clean-up.

DISPOSAL: Decontaminate all materials for disposal from the containment laboratory by steam sterilisation, chemical disinfection, incineration or by gaseous methods. Contaminated materials include both liquid and solid wastes.

STORAGE: In sealed, leak-proof containers that are appropriately labelled and locked in a Containment Level 4 laboratory.
SECTION IX - REGULATORY AND OTHER INFORMATION

REGULATORY INFORMATION: The import, transport, and use of pathogens in Canada is regulated under many regulatory bodies, including the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment Canada, and Transport Canada. Users are responsible for ensuring they are compliant with all relevant acts, regulations, guidelines, and standards.

UPDATED: August 2014.

PREPARED BY: Centre for Biosecurity, Public Health Agency of Canada.

Although the information, opinions and recommendations contained in this Pathogen Safety Data Sheet are compiled from sources believed to be reliable, we accept no responsibility for the accuracy, sufficiency, or reliability or for any loss or injury resulting from the use of the information. Newly discovered hazards are frequent and this information may not be completely up to date.

Copyright ©

Public Health Agency of Canada, 2014
Canada
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Footnote 21
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Footnote 24
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Footnote 27
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Footnote 28
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Footnote 29
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Footnote 30
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Footnote 31
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Footnote 32
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Footnote 33
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Footnote 34
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Footnote 35
Connolly, B. M., Steele, K. E., Davis, K. J., Geisbert, T. W., Kell, W. M., Jaax, N. K., & Jahrling, P. B. (1999). Pathogenesis of experimental Ebola virus infection in guinea pigs. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 179 Suppl 1, S203-17.
Footnote 36
Ebihara, H., Zivcec, M., Gardner, D., Falzarano, D., LaCasse, R., Rosenke, R., Long, D., Haddock, E., Fischer, E., Kawaoka, Y., & Feldmann, H. (2012). A Syrian golden hamster model recapitulating Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Journal of Infectious Diseases, jis626.
Footnote 37
Leroy, E. M., Kumulungui, B., Pourrut, X., Rouquet, P., Hassanin, A., Yaba, P., Délicat, A., Paweska, J. T., Gonzalez, J., & Swanepoel, R. (2005). Fruit bats as reservoirs of Ebola virus. Nature, 438(7068), 575-576.
Footnote 38
Hayman, D. T., Yu, M., Crameri, G., Wang, L. F., Suu-Ire, R., Wood, J. L., & Cunningham, A. A. (2012). Ebola virus antibodies in fruit bats, Ghana, West Africa. Emerging infectious diseases, 18(7), 1207.
Footnote 39
Yuan, J., Zhang, Y., Li, J., Zhang, Y., Wang, L. F., & Shi, Z. (2012). Serological evidence of ebolavirus infection in bats, China. Virol. J, 9, 236.
Footnote 40
Olival, K. J., Islam, A., Yu, M., Anthony, S. J., Epstein, J. H., Khan, S. A., Khan, S. U., Crameri, G., Wang, L-F., Lipkin, W. I., Luby, S. P., & Daszak, P. (2013). Ebola virus antibodies in fruit bats, Bangladesh. Emerging infectious diseases, 19(2), 270.
Footnote 41
Franz, D. R., Jahrling, P. B., Friedlander, A. M., McClain, D. J., Hoover, D. L., Bryne, W. R., Pavlin, J. A., Christopher, G. W., & Eitzen, E. M. (1997). Clinical recognition and management of patients exposed to biological warfare agents. Jama, 278(5), 399-411.
Footnote 42
Arthur, R. R. (2002). Ebola in Africa--discoveries in the past decade. Euro Surveillance : Bulletin Europeen Sur Les Maladies Transmissibles = European Communicable Disease Bulletin, 7(3), 33-36.
Footnote 43
Hewlett, B. S., & Amolat, R. P. (2003). Cultural contexts of Ebola in Northern Uganda. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 9(10), 1242-1248.
Footnote 44
Reed, D. S., Lackemeyer, M. G., Garza, N. L., Sullivan, L. J., & Nichols, D. K. (2011). Aerosol exposure to Zaire ebolavirus in three nonhuman primate species: differences in disease course and clinical pathology. Microbes and Infection, 13(11), 930-936.
Footnote 45
Twenhafel, N. A., Mattix, M. E., Johnson, J. C., Robinson, C. G., Pratt, W. D., Cashman, K. A., Wahl-Jensen, V., Terry, C., Olinger, G. G., Hensley, L. E., & Honko, A. N. (2012). Pathology of experimental aerosol Zaire ebolavirus infection in rhesus macaques. Veterinary Pathology Online, 0300985812469636.
Footnote 46
Weingartl, H. M., Embury-Hyatt, C., Nfon, C., Leung, A., Smith, G., & Kobinger, G. (2012). Transmission of Ebola virus from pigs to non-human primates. Scientific reports, 2.
Footnote 47
Stansfield, S. K., Scribner, C. L., Kaminski, R. M., Cairns, T., McCormick, J. B., & Johnson, K. M. (1982). Antibody to Ebola virus in guinea pigs: Tandala, Zaire. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 146(4), 483-486.
Footnote 48
Mitchell, S. W., & McCormick, J. B. (1984). Physicochemical inactivation of Lassa, Ebola, and Marburg viruses and effect on clinical laboratory analyses. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 20(3), 486-489.
Footnote 49
Elliott, L. H., McCormick, J. B., & Johnson, K. M. (1982). Inactivation of Lassa, Marburg, and Ebola viruses by gamma irradiation. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 16(4), 704-708.
Footnote 50
World Health Organization. Interim Infection Control Recommendationsfor Care of Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Filovirus (Ebola, Marburg) Haemorrhagic Fever. March 2008
Footnote 51
Sagripanti, J. L., & Lytle, C. D. (2011). Sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation of Lassa, vaccinia, and Ebola viruses dried on surfaces. Archives of virology, 156(3), 489-494.
Footnote 52
Belanov, E. F., Muntianov, V. P., Kriuk, V., Sokolov, A. V., Bormotov, N. I., P'iankov, O. V., & Sergeev, A. N. (1995). [Survival of Marburg virus infectivity on contaminated surfaces and in aerosols]. Voprosy virusologii, 41(1), 32-34.
Footnote 53
Sagripanti, J-L., Rom, A.M., Holland, L.E. (2010) Persistence in darkness of virulent alphaviruses, Ebola virus, and Lass virus deposited on solid surfaces. Arch Virol. 155: 2035-9.
Footnote 54
Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) (2007). In Richmond J. Y., McKinney R. W. (Eds.), . Washington, D.C.: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Footnote 55
Clark, D. V., Jahrling, P. B., & Lawler, J. V. (2012). Clinical Management of Filovirus-Infected Patients. Viruses, 4(9), 1668-1686.
Footnote 56
Emond, R. T. D., Evans, B., Bowen, E. T. W., & Lloyd, G. (1977). A case of Ebola virus infection. British Medical Journal, 2(6086), 541-544.
Footnote 57
Formenty, P., Hatz, C., Le Guenno, B., Stoll, A., Rogenmoser, P., & Widmer, A. (1999). Human infection due to Ebola virus, subtype Cote d'Ivoire: Clinical and biologic presentation. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 179(SUPPL. 1), S48-S53.
Footnote 58
Human pathogens and toxins act. S.C. 2009, c. 24, Second Session, Fortieth Parliament, 57-58 Elizabeth II, 2009. (2009).
Footnote 59
Rowe AK, Bertolli J,Khan AS,et al. Clinical, virologic, and immunologic follow-up of convalescent Ebola hemorrhagic fever patients and their household contacts, Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Commission de Lutte contre les Epidemies à Kikwit. J Infect Dis 1999;179 (Suppl 1):S28-35.
Footnote 60
Rodriguez LL, De Roo A, Guimard Y, et al. Persistence and genetic stability of Ebola virus during the outbreak in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995. J Infect Dis 1999;179 (Suppl 1):S170-6.
Footnote 61
Piercy, T.J., Smither, S.J., Steward, J.A., Eastaugh, L., Lever, M.S. (2010) The survival of filoviruses in liquids, on solid substrates and in a dynamic aerosol. J Appl Microbiol. 109(5): 1531-9.
Footnote 62
World Health Organization (2010). WHO best practices for injections and related procedures toolkit. March 2010. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599252_eng.pdf?ua=1
Footnote 63
World Health Organization (2014). Interim infection prevention and control guidance for care of patients with suspected or confirmed filovirus haemorrhagic fever in health-care settings, with focus on Ebola. August 2014.
http://www.who.int/csr/resources/who-ipc-guidance-ebolafinal-09082014.pdf
Footnote 64
Baush, D.G., Towner, J.S., Dowell, S.F., Kaducu, F., Lukwiya, M., Sanchez, A., Nichol, S.T., Ksiazek, T.G., Rollin, P.E. (2007) Assessment of the Risk of Ebola virus Transmission from Bodily Fluids and Fomites. JID. 196 (Suppl 2).

Two things: First, do you have a place to go? Because just taking off and driving North without a solid plan could very well be fatal in and of itself.

Second, do we know if cold weather kills the Ebola virus? It doesn't seem to affect the flu virus, and I think I remember someone commenting on another thread (a while back) that the flu virus actually does better in the winter. Not sure if that's because it survives longer outside the body in cold weather, or because people are cooped up inside and closer to each other (esp. at school and work).

Kathleen

 

[summerthyme]

Border Guard- you're reading it wrong. It survives BETTER (longer) the colder it gets. Below a certain temp (not sure if it's -40°F or somewhat colder... can't remember where I read it) it can survive pretty much indefinitely.

It dies off more quickly on surfaces in warmth and humidity.

Summerthyme

 

[homecanner1]

holding my stick and preparing to draw my line in the sand if it spreads beyond Texas, and is confirmed.

Why are they still allowing flights in and out of West Africa, its sheer criminal insanity now. Even if its inevitable that it gets here and only delays it a few weeks, why speed the process and further enable it? Its utter contempt for the American people

 

[Cascadians]

If handled correctly, with intelligence and compassion based on science, Ebola could have been contained here.

However, watching the absolutely sheer imbecility of CDC in Dallas, with the contacts now showing symptoms and some moved to Isolation in a house, and already "no testing" for other cases, my meter has quickly moved to TIME TO PREPARE TO SIP.

My head's been blissfully in the sand for months now so gotta do a few things but the line in the sand is already drawn for me.

 

[Hansa44]

deleted

 

[BigFootsCousin]

Yeah, I know you are on the front lines BFC. So do you intend to stick it out?

I'll probably see how it goes, If I show up for work and I'm the only one there..........I'll back away.....real slowly....AND RUN! Ha, I'll have to, if the place is swarmed.

On a more serious note:

I've been asking the past 3 days if there was any word officially as to what we're supposed to do in triage regarding this issue.

I got my answer today. It's official, from the top. We're looking and screening in Triage now. So, now you know. I imagine that this was disseminated to all healthcare services nationwide.

No biggie. It's probably posted on their site by now. Common sense, just in a simplified and official format.

BFC

P.S.- I'm going hunting in the morning, I've got the day off!

 

[Lilbitsnana]

Border Guard- you're reading it wrong. It survives BETTER (longer) the colder it gets. Below a certain temp (not sure if it's -40°F or somewhat colder... can't remember where I read it) it can survive pretty much indefinitely.

It dies off more quickly on surfaces in warmth and humidity.

Summerthyme

Yep, somewhere way back a two or three? months ago, I posted a report that showed it was almost indestructible at -40 or -70 ( I can't remember which temp)

 

[sthrnfriedrocker]

Today is day 9 from the first day that Thomas Eric Duncan first noticed that he was getting sick.
As a side note, isn't it interesting that he has a 3 first names. And that he has three names. Like Lee Harvey Oswald.
And just as a coincidence, I woke this morning to a very nice fall day. Almost needed a long sleeve shirt. Because it is officially fall here. You know, cold and flu season.
So, if someone woke up this morning feeling a little cold coming on it would surprise no one. Here take a little Nyquil and some ibuprofen and you'll feel better in the morning. And remember Hon, we are going to the state fair this weekend.

I read some folks imagining what would happen if. Try this imagining.
Lets say you have a community with a large population of west africans. These people have family and friends in the home country who have died from Ebola. And they have family and friends that are quarantined from Ebola. In fact, there may be many who fled Ebola. This is their special expertise. They know that they survived Ebola by fleeing.
So, it is Oct 1 and the EBT card just got filled up - I have no idea how that works - I only know that somehow, they have money on the first.
And that very day, they find out that the man down the street has Ebola. And they find out that his family is quarantined.
I can't say what they will do - I don't know - And I have not seen any reports - I am just imagining.
What do you think they will do? And remember, Oct 1 is 6 days after TED (Thomas Eric Duncan) first started getting sick.
BTW, that is really freaky. He has 3 first names and his initials create a 4th first name.

here's a totally unrelated string of facts..Ted Turner is also the rumored man behind the creation and maintenance of the Georgia Guidestones, which also unrelatedly had a rather unusual addition..and removal recently.

 

[Kris Gandillon]

Where are Kris' numbers?

Post #73 on page 2 of this thread but here they are again...updated to weekly totals since some of you are talking in weekly numbers now:

As a point of reference....for the current outbreak here is what we saw in the early months of this outbreak in West Africa...beginning in March when the WHO first started counting...the outbreak actually began in late December so these end of March numbers are 3 months in.

The numbers are the simple "average new cases per day" taking the total cases for that month and dividing by the number of days in the month. In reality the daily rate was lower at the beginning of the month and higher at the end of the month.

March - 4 per day / 28 per week
April - 3 per day / 21 per week
May - 6 per day / 42 per week
June - 11 per day / 77 per week
July - 19 per day / 133 per week*
August - 76 per day / 532 per week*
September - 120 per day / 840 per week*

*Numbers were getting less and less accurate as admitted by WHO during these months....they are likely LOW by a factor of 3X or 4X.

You can extrapolate backwards knowing that the single index case was in late December...most likely January was likely 1-2 cases per week. February was probably in the range of 1-2 cases per day or 7 to 14 cases per week. This ultimately does fit a fairly consistent mathematical formula.

 

[Deena in GA]

I called our d-i-l who works in the emergency room of a local hospital yesterday to ask if they had a plan in place both at work and at home, in case she has a patient who presents with Ebola symptoms. She said she hasn't heard anything at work about how it would be handled and hadn't even really thought about it. ;( I pointed out that she could potentially end up quarantined away from her children. That seemed to wake her up some.

 

[momengineer]

Raven,
Apparently within the news community, it is protocol to call someone by all three names when a serious crime is committed, as to not have someone with same first/last name be confused with the suspect/person of interest. I would imagine all three names will stick in this case, since "eric Duncan" has got to be pretty common. Just FYI, they also called the nut who poisoned the auburn trees by his all three names.

 

[raven]

Raven,
Apparently within the news community, it is protocol to call someone by all three names when a serious crime is committed, as to not have someone with same first/last name be confused with the suspect/person of interest. I would imagine all three names will stick in this case, since "eric Duncan" has got to be pretty common. Just FYI, they also called the nut who poisoned the auburn trees by his all three names.

Awe, you are taking the woo out of woo-woo.

 

[raven]

here's a totally unrelated string of facts..Ted Turner is also the rumored man behind the creation and maintenance of the Georgia Guidestones, which also unrelatedly had a rather unusual addition..and removal recently.

ok, i am not a good story teller. I will clarify.
Liberians in this country are familiar with with Ebola and quarantine. Many have family back home who have experienced both. It is likely they fear both the disease and the quarantine. It is reasonable to assume that many of them are making the same decisions you and I are using the same criteria. If I have to leave, when is a good time to go.
There is a high concentration of Liberians in this neighborhood.

1. The first of the month is payday, the time when people have extra cash. 2. The folks there found out on the 1st that a man in the neighborhood has Ebola. 3. They can see the guard at the door of the family that is quarantined.
Given these three criteria, if I lived there, I would move this weekend. Who can say if they will move? If they move, how many have already been exposed to Ebola?
Why is this weekend important? This weekend represents the 10th day after Thomas Eric Duncan began experiencing symptoms - 10 days seems to be one of the numbers being used for incubation. If they have been infected and are not showing symptoms and they move, the virus spreads.

I hope this adds clarity. I apologize for not being a good story teller and will avoid doing so in the future

 

[Dafodil]

My county-I'll take the kids out of school/we will self quarantine. My DH sells medical equipment so he's in every hospital in the Southeast! He flies on occasion too. He might have to move!

 

[Flashyzipp]

Duncan changed planes in DC so I'm expecting a case to pop up in this area soon...my optimistic side hopes that he wasn't spreading it when he was on the plane but the prepper in me says "don't count on it." Then we have the doctor in Bethesda who checked himself in. I'm not too worried about him because he is being smart about it and checked himself in before showing symptoms, he probably doesn't even have it.

I think it's important to differentiate between cases that can be tracked to patient zero and those that can't. Once we start seeing cases that can't logically be tracked to Duncan, we are in big trouble and I believe that will be a true tipping point; this could happen any day now or maybe they will be able to track all cases for a few days, who knows. I think we are already getting to the point that we will be seeing cases "in the wild" that we have no clue where they came from due to runners, terrorism and incompetence. Duncan rode on several planes too, seems like we should be seeing cases in Europe.

When more than one case starts popping up in DC and/or Baltimore, particularly if they are unable to track it's vector, we will begin self quarantine.

This: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ebola-patient-tested-washington/story?id=25948325

 

[Deep Blue Dragon]

Spent this morning finalizing preps for the BOL (20 miles from town, with gardens, poultry and goats). Laid in a few hundred bucks worth of feed/pet food - glad it was just payday! Wanted to panic early/beat the rush, as they say. Once it's "go" time, it will be too late to round up this stuff because I wouldn't want to be out in public at that point. We're ready to bail the instant our line in the sand is crossed (i.e., cases in our town). We are a few counties away from Dallas, so watching the news very closely.

If there is a local case and we decide it's time to BO, I'm hoping that we could still make a few runs back home to move additional useful items/supplies from home to the BOL (i.e., stuff we actually use regularly). I suspect there would be a brief window before civil unrest started, and then it would be time to lock the gate at the BOL.

 

[SusieSunshine]

With a traveler in an Austin hospital that is "cleared" of having Ebola, Final preps will happen in the next couple of days. We won't be leaving the house after topping off unless an emergency occurs.

 

[R.Tist]

Let's see. DH is a taxi driver in a world-renowned ski resort to which people come from all over the world, so we're in the 'high risk' category for contracting anything that's 'going around.'

We have rent and utilities to pay and we both need meds, so we couldn't bug out as we planned to years ago. Circumstance (mostly health issues) has made all the preps and plans we had void; even the once paid-for house we had was repossessed. We live in a place that has seven-month winters, so Rv-ing or camping is out of the question. We'd probably winter camp if we were younger and not sick, but such is not our reality nowadays.

We've more or less adopted the Que Sera Sera school of thought, and lean more towards making sure that we have a truck load of morphine for use if the situation becomes dire.

Our kids live all over the place, along with their kids, and while we raised them to be preppers, not one of them is now.

So, all things considered, we don't expect to survive a pandemic, unless the Good Lord steps in. We're prepped for the little things, like disruptions in food, water, and medical supplies, but we only have three months' worth, as opposed to the ability to survive indefinitely, which we could have done easily before our health situation changed. We don't regret it though (amassing all those preps and skills) and would do it again in a heartbeat.

If we were healthy, I'd bug out as soon as the virus aerosolized - anywhere in the world. Then again, if we were still healthy, we'd already be bugged out now - for life. We didn't need an income prior to needing meds.

Artie.

 

[dieseltrooper]

Bad news for wife & I. We travel in the semi full-time and are home in the OKC area monthly. I'm just watching to see how it plays out. If travel restrictions come into play, we may get to go home and bug-in with family if trucking shuts down.
Hopefully at that time we will have a trailer load of edibles. Right now we have 42k lbs of spuds going to Ft Worth.
I could drop her off at her parent's house where we stay while off work, but she will refuse.
I hope truckers are not forced to work via military convoys...

 

[Dare7]

Fortunately I'm retired and live alone. Unfortunately, I've become an increasingly sickly person as I age. Not Ebola driven, but as of Oct 1, I'm already stocked and locked until mid to late March. With rare and carefully planned exceptions involving only my descendants or a medical emergency (mine), no one is welcome here throughout the winter and the door is not answered for anybody. My friends understand. Most of my extended family doesn't & certain members get angry when they drop by (unannounced of course) and I refuse to open the door - I've had to threaten to call the police more than once when the assumption was if they pound on the door & repeatedly ring the bell, while yelling at me, long enough that eventually I'll cave. Mommie dearest has gone so far as to try to find a way to break in & she's the one I trust the least in regards to disease exposure as she has a life long history of lying about such things.

I could remain isolated inside longer without issue if the need arises, like if Ebola or similar contagion is active in the Chicago metro region. My kids and grands check in daily (some grands have to pass my house to get home from school so they grab my mail and put it inside the garage for me - we have a special protocol for that in case the mail carrier is carrying more than the mail ) so it's not like I'm deprived of all human contact and I do go outside on my property - privacy fenced padlocked gates backyard so no viruses to catch there unless truly technically airborne, in which case we're all screwed anyway.

This has been my SOP during cold and flu season for several years now due to impaired lung function resulting in increased susceptibility to respiratory illnesses & poor immune responses (a common cold can ~has~ render me literally bedridden for 5-6 weeks with 2-3 month to regain my strength) PLUS a country full of self-absorbed morons who refuse to stay home even if they're hacking up both lungs & sweat soaked with fever nor do they seem to know how to cover their mouths or noses while coughing & sneezing, much less use a tissue/hankie.

 

[flying screwdriver]

Me and DW started our plan to live away from the city and get some self-sufficiency since 2009, but that plan got subverted by some evil greedy people (local politicians). Three years of persistence and fighting and we finally won what should have been ours all along. That seriously put us behind. And that has put us in a place where I have to keep working as long as I can.

We did as much as we could this last year to get ready for 'something', didn't know it would be Ebola, as that is harder to avoid than riots in the cities (may still be coming). And maybe as deadly as volcanic winter (that still could be in the cards).

Today we looked at finances, couldn't really afford the freezer, but rolled the dice and bought it anyway. I don't think we have another month to put it in the budget. I estimate three weeks tops to finish stocking up before all hell breaks loose. Hope I am wrong, I don't know any more than what you guys know.

(but you guys know a hella lot more than joe blow out there, thats why I finally quit lurking and got on board)

Since I travel extensively, my line in the sand is already being drawn. I am not getting on another plane until...I'm not sure when. Driving trips only, and I am doubling down on my 'airport protocol' I call it to keep from getting sick - now that protocol applies everywhere, and even when I am not travelling.

The proverbial 'rock and hard place' comes when the third round of contacts (infections from the family of Duncan) become evident, or if anyone on those planes become ill. If my office does not take this seriously I will have to leave before too many of them go out and bring it back in. Hope I can work from home, they may allow that, I do have some ADA limitations that I may can lean on - even if they reduce my pay rate and make me a consultant, maybe I can still keep an income. If not, and no arrangement possible, then FMLA for 6 months, after that....don't know.

This rabbit hole could go really deep...if it gets to the point where corpses are piling in the streets, it will get out in the animal world. A study of dogs during an Ebola outbreak in Uganda showed they are asymptomatic carriers, they do clear the infection, but when that outbreak was at its peak they found 31% of wild dogs carrying the virus. This strain may infect more than bats I am afraid.

If it gets that bad here, then even living off the land will be dangerous.

I will not give up, nor will my wife, we are on board together with this and we found this weekend we have our closest neighbors already on board and didn't even know it, so we may be able to lock down this part of our area. The neighbors block the entrance to us, and they assured us nothing gets to us without having to go thru them. locked and loaded, no worries. That was comforting to hear. They are also watching and prepping for what is coming.

No 'what happens happens' attitude here. We will lock down. We will do all we can do.

 

[Sleeping Cobra]

When it finally hits Seattle. I believe it is just a matter of time. But just not Ebola but any type of outbreak of anything else.

 

[DHR43]

I'll be concerned when healthy people get ebola.

Healthy = strong immune systems; never get colds or 'flu's'. People who KNOW how to be healthy, practice immune system building and have a track record of being sickness free as a result. That takes 99 out of 100 away. If not more.

Ebola = tested and verified with a legitimate test (not the garbage protocol they're using now). That takes 90% - 95% of the 'ebola' cases away.

That leaves healthy people ACTUALLY getting ebola. Then, I'll get concerned. And not until.

I've reconsidered.

To the above criteria, I've added the 2B2K factor. When EVERY main page posting has an ebola title, I'll know the threat has safely passed. It's not high now, but THEN it will be gone.

 

[lectrickitty]

Yesterday.

The man in Dallas had contact with people on the flight, kids who were going to school, even a homeless man. How many might he have infected before they finally isolated him? It's here.

How many people are walking around with it right now? With up to a month to keep spreading it before they discover they have it, it could be in your town for a month before you find out.

Yep, I'm already in self quarantine. I prepped so I don't have to go out not knowing if a deadly disease is lurking in the area.

 

[Deep Blue Dragon]

With Patient #2 in Dallas, time to re-evaluate...

DH flies home via DFW today(!); tomorrow I will be back in class with (college) students who may have gone home for the weekend to the big D. Getting somewhat uneasy about the risks...

At this point I am being extra careful with surfaces (door handles, gas pumps, etc.). Using Chlorox wipes/hand sanitizer after touching ANYTHING in public. I have masks/lab goggles/vinyl gloves in my tote bag ready to use if needed (e.g., if I was out somewhere and someone happened to vomit in my vicinity).

BOL is now stuffed to the gills with preps.

Two info sources I am monitoring regularly in addition to TB:

Free Republic's Ebola Surveillance Thread
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3191066/posts?q=1&;page=1

Dr. Niman's FluTracker forum (lots of Ebola info)
http://fluboard.rhizalabs.com/forum/search.php?search_id=active_topics​

At this point, if a single case occurs in the general public in Texas (i.e., not a first responder or health care worker), it's bug out time.

 

[wintery_storm]

We plan to change our shopping activity to late night instead of going out early morning. That is about it we go to Doctors often now that we are older. Other than that we are Hermits in the Country

 

[Baloo]

If a case is confirmed in my area we will work from home and limit going out except for last minute prep items.

 

[dstraito]

You know, if the people around an ebola patient are quarantined as well, it could very well be a death sentence for someone who before that had NOT caught it.

 

[LSV]

My family and I cannot seem to come to an agreement on when to isolate ourselves. We are being more careful for the most part...but with teens life goes on. i had three kids yesterday going to three different events...ice skating, bowling, full movie theater. When do I start saying "no " to this? We live in PA..so safe for now..maybe...
Lisa

 

[Loon]

Wondering when Americans will begin wearing gloves and masks out in public????????????

We also do our rare shopping for food late at night when there are few people shopping.

 

[R.Tist]

Wondering when Americans will begin wearing gloves and masks out in public????????????

We also do our rare shopping for food late at night when there are few people shopping.

Hello Loon!

DH drives a taxi in an international resort and so is constantly in close proximity to people from all around the globe. He doesn't wear a mask, as we have no reported Ebola cases anywhere near us, but he does wear gloves, as he has to handle money (which is loaded with germs at the best of times) and navigate his way through the town for 36 hours per week, and it'll be 60 hours in high season, which begins on December 4th.

He would wear a mask, but since most people are clueless, he feels that doing so would alienate his customers from him, and it wouldn't sit too well with the owners of the taxi company, so... what can y'do?

Artie.

 

[Loon]

I heard on the news this morning that a lot of people boarding airplanes are choosing to wear double masks. I think that soon we'll see a lot more people doing so. If nothing else, it will help prevent the spread of colds and flu.