OP - Haemorrhagic fever outbreaks have been reported in both Guinea and Sierra Leone.
22 March 2014 - Current - as early as February 2, 2014, people have been coming down ill with a bleeding fever, viral in nature but uncertain as to the "strain". Western AFRICA.
As of September 28th, 2014 over 3020 people have died in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia - the strain of Haemorrhagic fever has been called Ebola-Zaire. This thread documents what has happened since then, what solutions have shown to be available, monoclonal antibodies, vaccines based on some genetic information for Ebola, various anti-virals shown to be effective, and a method which prevents a mechanism in the virus from being able to spread from cell to cell..
As of October 15th Ebola crisis: Outbreak death toll rises to 4,447 says WHO
This thread will go over other forms of Haemorrhagic fevers as well. This type of disease is not a gentle disease, leading to much suffering. But having solutions and deploying them fast may help to alleviate spread, and save many lives.
ref: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/0...0MJ0GP20140322 - Reuters reporting outbreak(s)
Guinean health officials have registered 49 cases of infection in three southeastern towns and the capital Conakry since the outbreak was first reported on Feb. 9.
Earliest quote: "While the exact type of the fever, which is characterized by bleeding, has yet to be identified, a senior official in Guinea said on Friday preliminary tests had narrowed down the possibilities to Ebola or Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever."
WHO officials, however, suspect Lassa Fever may be behind the outbreak, cases of which have now also been reported in a border region in Sierra Leone.
(Note: As of 2015 August, world outcry was noted about WHO having mishandled the Ebola outbreak, lack of proper facilities on-sites, improper training, improper containment, improper procedures being used for biosafety).
(Note: as of October 2015, multiple variants of Ebola virus, including the Makona strain causing the most recent outbreak in West Africa are now present despite (as the reader will note the poo-poo'ing of the various nay-sayers, including learnered "experts" saying Ebola has not mutated, and is not a candidate for mutation - mutation is one of the reasons specific molecular anti-body treatments touted as "effective" have proved LESS-THAN effective)..
Humans contract Lassa Fever, which is endemic in West Africa, from contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent faeces. The disease can then be transmitted from person to person.
Marburg - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marburg_virus - Marburg viru[..] (it is) highly contagious," Dr. Esther Sterk, MSF's Tropical Medicine Adviser, said in a statement.
Weaponization - The Soviet Union had an extensive offensive and defensive biological weapons program that included MARV (Marburg Virus). After the breakup of the Soviet Union into separate independent states, weapons research continued and was not stopped.
In 2009, expanded clinical trials of an Ebola and Marburg vaccine began in Africa. No vaccine to date has been approved for use in the US.
Ebola - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_virus - Ebola Virus
EBOV is one of four ebolaviruses that causes Ebola virus disease (EVD) in humans (in the literature also often referred to as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, EHF).
From the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) - https://www.fas.org/programs/bio/factsheets/ebola.html
"The Soviet Union's biological weapons program favored Marburg over Ebola.."
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/bio_ebola.htm - From Global Security dot Org
"Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever is one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind, causing death in 50-90% of all clinically-ill cases. Consequently, it has figured prominently in popular discussions of biological warfare.."
"Because of its rarity, the disease may not be diagnosed corrected at the onset of an outbreak. Reports suggested that the Ebola virus was researched and weaponized by the former Soviet Union's biological weapons program Biopreparat. Dr. Ken Alibek, former the First Deputy Director of Biopreparat, speculated that the Russians had aerosolized the Ebola virus for dissemination as a biological weapon."
Lassa - http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/intro/bio_viral.htm - introduction to biological weapons of mass destruction (WMD-BIO)
and
http://www.bioterrorism.cme.uab.edu/...HF/summary.asp - Bio-Terrorism FACTS
Description - Arenaviruses: Lassa Fever (Africa) and the New World Hemorrhagic Fevers - Bolivian Hemorrhagic Fever (BHF, Machupo virus), Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever (AHF, Junin virus), Venezuelan Hemorrhagic Fever (Guanarito virus), and Brazilian Hemorrhagic Fever (Sabia virus)..
Clinical Features
Clinical manifestations of VHF's vary according to the specific etiologic virus and may overlap, making specific clinical diagnosis unlikely.
The incubation period varies from 2 to 21 days, and may be inoculum dependent. Prodromal symptoms are typical, with several days of fever, myalgias, headache, malaise, arthralgias, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
With some VHF's (Viral Haemorrhagic Fever) , such as CCHF, abdominal pain may be pronounced, mimicking an acute abdomen. All VHF's are characterized by an abrupt onset of symptoms, with the exception of the arenaviruses, where onset is more insidious.
After the prodrome, patients may develop conjunctivitis and pharyngitis, and most VHF patients have a rash, with the dermal manifestations varying by etiology.
As these diseases progress, patients may exhibit a progressively worsening bleeding diathesis, with petechiae, conjunctival and mucosal hemorrhage, hematuria, hematemesis, and melena, followed by DIC and hypotension. As the patient worsens, CNS signs ensue, including delirium, seizures, and coma.
Shock and multiple organ system failure presage death.
Case fatality rates vary according to the viral etiology, ranging from less than 5 percent to approximately 70 to 90 percent with Ebola Zaire subtype.
Treatment: Intensive Supportive Care
Intravenous IND Ribavirin therapy (available from CDC or USAMRIID) - recommended for VHF of unknown etiology while diagnostic confirmation is pending VHF known to be due to Arenaviruses or Bunyaviruses (Ribavirin has efficacy against Lassa Fever, some new world Arenaviruses such as AHF, CCHF, RVF, and HFRS).
See guidelines for dosing in JAMA 2002 May 8; 287:2391-2405 or at web link: http://jama.ama-assn.org/issues/v287.../jst20006.html
Lassa fever or Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus and first described in 1969 in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, Nigeria. Lassa fever has become a major problem in the African region.
The infection is endemic in West African countries, and causes 300,000–500,000 cases annually, with approximately 5,000 deaths.
This cute little mousey is the primary reservoir for the Lassa Virus disease.
More background: http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Lass...bola-Virus.htm - the bioweapons, viral
From Arms Control dot org
https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004_07-08/Luongo
The exact number of ex-Soviet BW (Biological Warfare) scientists remains unknown, but nonproliferation experts generally agree that Soviet biological weapons facilities in total employed 60,000-65,000 people.
The ex-Soviet BW complex was separated into three distinct areas, which helped to conceal research activities; the complex contained some activities that were clearly prohibited by the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), although Western intelligence agencies never could determine to what extent this was so.
The complex included:
• multiple Ministry of Defense- controlled facilities, employing around 15,000 people. These facilities conducted research on some biological agents, such as Lassa fever, probably deemed too sensitive for Biopreparat institutes.
• the Biopreparat network of facilities that employed roughly 40,000 scientists and workers. This network included 50 nominally civilian/ commercial facilities that many believe used a “civilian” cover to engage in BW activities. The Defense Ministry was in fact the main customer for Biopreparat’s work.
• six agricultural laboratories, which employed about 10,000 people. Work at these facilities focused on developing pathogens related to plants and animals.
Stopping the proliferation of biological weapons expertise from the former Soviet states is complicated by the difficulty in pinpointing key experts, particularly those with the knowledge to make a key contribution to a biological weapons program.
Recent figures have suggested that there are anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 former Soviet biological weapons scientists with weapons-relevant skills.
Is this current outbreak "accidental", coincidental, a BW "demonstration" - what do you think?
UPDATE - I am going to put a NOTE in the beginning of this thread (see above). This THREAD IS NOT about treatment or "cure claims" using unproven remedies for the Hemorrhagic Fevers; and this thread is not for Silver discussion, or nano-particles.
It is to discuss specifically what it asks about in the thread title, accidental natural or deliberate bio-weapon, and if so, what proofs do we have that such could be natural or accidental or deliberate.
WHO would be making a BIO-WEAPON, historically, and why - that is a valid discussion. Understanding how the Hemorrhagic Fevers do their damage would be appropriate..
A brief mention of what one has used personally as an effective treatment for a Hemorrhagic Fever would be interesting and helpful, as it would apply directly to the thread TITLE, the subject..
An OUTBREAK of the FEVERS is important to know about, where, what happened and WHY. If such happens, or if a CASE appears for instance in Europe or the North American or South American Continent, Australia, Asia... it will be posted in this thread (if known about).
BIG QUESTIONS TO ASK: What types of FEVERS exist, and how are they transmitted, what is the reservoir? Where are they spreading and in what concentrations (presenting HOW?)
If it is from BATS or rodents, do people eat or are otherwise exposed to these vectors?
Understanding - that is the public service. Education hopefully to change behaviour for the better.
PLEASE let's keep this thread doing a good service. Posts which flaunt the FORUM's guidelines will be reported; rude, distraction, harassment, derailment is not in good spirit and certainly not in the best use of being helpful to the People. These diseases if they are caught, are not comfortable, not something one would wish on one's worst.. I am trying to help with education. Highest good.
--Bob
POST OP UPDATE
SOLUTIONS possible -
Going through this thread, there have been various Treatments/prevention regimine observed to be effective against filoviridae (possibly other viruses too as described in this thread -
Please refer to posts:
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post882026
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post870810
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post871304
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post871653
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post868836
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post862232
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post862598
Early monoclonal antibody work - https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post866626
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post861238
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post861247
https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...l=1#post861343