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Ebola is one such virus. In terms of evolution these viruses tend to burn out by killing the host. Evolutionary pressures push viruses towards symbiotic equilib

Ebola is one such virus. In terms of evolution these viruses tend to burn out by killing the host. Evolutionary pressures push viruses towards symbiotic equilibrium. Thus in the worst case scenario there will be survivors who are immune or the virus or the virus will burn out until the only strain left does not harm humans. The later was the case with ebola.

makmanalp 9y ago
It sure killed a LOT of people in the process though, so I wouldn't say that that's quite so reassuring.
- jacquesm 9y ago
  Counter-intuitively the speedy kill is actually what makes Ebola comparatively safe, if the victims would live longer they would infect far more others though even in death there is plenty of risk in handling the bodies during burial, especially in remote locations.
  - makmanalp 9y ago
    I understand that - I'm just pointing out that while Ebola perhaps isn't putting humans at extinction risk, it's still not good by any measure. We (I) don't want anything remotely like it lying around at anyone's disposal.
- crimsonalucard 9y ago
  Yeah, but we're definitely safe from an extinction level event.
  - dvtv75 9y ago
    You had to go there, didn't you? You just had to say it. When we're all dead in a week, I'm blaming you.
jacquesm 9y ago
If anything Ebola is too lethal. It tends to burn out locally before it can spread far from its originating point though if someone should immediately travel after becoming infected it could spread to a new location. But in the majority of the cases so far it has burned out before it could spread to a new village, though the largest outbreak to date claimed in excess of 10,000 lives and spread quite far. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31982078 http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31982078 All it will take for Ebola to be a truly massive killer is a small mutation that would reduce immediate mortality or that would increase the incubation time. Either one of those would greatly increase the number of people that a single outbreak would affect. I'd rather not have to live through that.
- wickawic 9y ago
  You can just move to Madagascar and close the ports.
  - Jach 9y ago
    Except http://www.who.int/csr/don/15-november-2017-plague-madagascar/en/ http://www.who.int/csr/don/15-november-2017-plague-madagasca...
    - maemre 9y ago
      I guess GP was referring to the game Plague Inc.
      - Jach 9y ago
        More like Pandemic 2, but yes. These games have a winning strategy of infecting Madagascar first and spreading before the ports are closed.
- jlebrech 9y ago
  If ebola were to incubate in pigeons and only prove lethal to humans, that could be more widespread.
craftyguy 9y ago
> In terms of evolution these viruses tend to burn out by killing the host. I learned two things playing that 'Pandemic' flash game a few years back: 1) don't evolve deadly characteristics until you've infected as many people as possible (to get around ebola's issue you pointed out) 2) Madagascar is the place to be in the event of a global epidemic
- Pica_soO 9y ago
  Madagascare is currently one of the only places on the planet having bubonic plague.

makmanalp 9y ago

It sure killed a LOT of people in the process though, so I wouldn't say that that's quite so reassuring.

jacquesm 9y ago
Counter-intuitively the speedy kill is actually what makes Ebola comparatively safe, if the victims would live longer they would infect far more others though even in death there is plenty of risk in handling the bodies during burial, especially in remote locations.
- makmanalp 9y ago
  I understand that - I'm just pointing out that while Ebola perhaps isn't putting humans at extinction risk, it's still not good by any measure. We (I) don't want anything remotely like it lying around at anyone's disposal.
crimsonalucard 9y ago
Yeah, but we're definitely safe from an extinction level event.
- dvtv75 9y ago
  You had to go there, didn't you? You just had to say it. When we're all dead in a week, I'm blaming you.

jacquesm 9y ago

If anything Ebola is too lethal. It tends to burn out locally before it can spread far from its originating point though if someone should immediately travel after becoming infected it could spread to a new location. But in the majority of the cases so far it has burned out before it could spread to a new village, though the largest outbreak to date claimed in excess of 10,000 lives and spread quite far. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31982078 http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31982078 All it will take for Ebola to be a truly massive killer is a small mutation that would reduce immediate mortality or that would increase the incubation time. Either one of those would greatly increase the number of people that a single outbreak would affect. I'd rather not have to live through that.

wickawic 9y ago
You can just move to Madagascar and close the ports.
- Jach 9y ago
  Except http://www.who.int/csr/don/15-november-2017-plague-madagascar/en/ http://www.who.int/csr/don/15-november-2017-plague-madagasca...
  - maemre 9y ago
    I guess GP was referring to the game Plague Inc.
    - Jach 9y ago
      More like Pandemic 2, but yes. These games have a winning strategy of infecting Madagascar first and spreading before the ports are closed.
jlebrech 9y ago
If ebola were to incubate in pigeons and only prove lethal to humans, that could be more widespread.

craftyguy 9y ago

> In terms of evolution these viruses tend to burn out by killing the host. I learned two things playing that 'Pandemic' flash game a few years back: 1) don't evolve deadly characteristics until you've infected as many people as possible (to get around ebola's issue you pointed out) 2) Madagascar is the place to be in the event of a global epidemic

Pica_soO 9y ago
Madagascare is currently one of the only places on the planet having bubonic plague.