3 ms·
My understanding is the mutation rate of ebola is significant. Current person-to-person transmission can be brought under control as you mentioned. However, if
by spydum 12y ago
My understanding is the mutation rate of ebola is significant. Current person-to-person transmission can be brought under control as you mentioned. However, if it mutated to something more transmissive (is that a word?? I declare it so!), plenty of sci-fi's will turn in to prophecy.
- HarryHirsch 12y agoAccording to this paper here (http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/14/8/800.full.pdf http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/14/8/800.full.pdf) the mutation rate in the Ebolavirus is comparatively low for an RNA virus, two orders of magnitude less than in influenza or HIV. We have brought highly transmissive diseases, like measles and rubella, under control with vaccination; both of these happen to be caused by RNA viruses. There will be a doomsday epidemic in the future, but Ebola won't be it, at least not for the West. Ever-more common antibiotic resistance in common bacteria is much, much more reason for concern.