Concern over Ebola virus in pigs

[villager]

Source: BBC

<snip>

These viruses cause viral haemorrhagic fevers, which cause extensive internal bleeding, and can be fatal.
The latest study examined tissue samples taken from pigs from different parts of the Philippines suffering from unusually severe respiratory infections.

Analysis showed that the animals were infected with widely varying strains of the virus, suggesting it may have circulated widely in pigs even before it was first discovered in monkeys exported to the US from the Philippines in 1989.

The researchers said it was possible that REBOV originally emerged in another, as yet unidentified, host. Fruit-eating bats have been suggested as one possibility.

Pigs are known to provide an ideal host for viruses to mutate. Experts say the potential risk is magnified because they are an essential part of the human food chain, and come into close contact with people.

Researcher Dr Michael McIntosh said: "We know this family of viruses are associated with fatal illnesses in humans.

"Even though there is no evidence at this time to suggest REBOV causes diseases in humans it does seem that it can infect humans, and be transmitted from swine to humans. "The effect of such an infection on an immuno-compromised host - humans or swine - is also an unknown factor of concern."

The World Health Organization says that pork is still safe to eat, provided it is prepared and cooked properly.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8143823.stm

[MilesColtrane]

1. Mother Nature is getting tired of humans giving her a global fever.

Is she cooking up a new recipe for airborne ebola in her piggies to remedy the problem?

[Myrina]

3. I'm wondering what's going to happen when Ebola and H1N1 strains converge ...

...H1N1 wasn't supposed to be transmissable from pigs to humans, but ... I'm sure with just a little more lab work, the CIA will get that part figured out.

:scared:

[Oregone]

2. The normal flu kills 30K a year in US. Ebola only kills 100 in world. We know whats more dangerous

:sarcasm:

[Mojorabbit]

4. It would be wicked

if a easily transmissible flu virus reassorted with an ebola virus and maintained ebola's lethality.
Yowser.

[Oregone]

5. Nightmare

Who knows how possible it would be. I wonder if anyone has let them mingle in hosts in a lab

[dugaresa]

6. hard to imagine as Ebola doesn't transmit so well because it kills so fast

the host is normally so sick in such a short period time that moving about isn't so easy. However if it percolated longer, before the symptoms start and was infectious during the "percolation", then whoa nelly what a virus it would be.