ebola spreading?

[Don Haut]

In article <3p01s3$jvp at bloch.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu>, J Ownbey
<jownbey at cbrc.mgh.harvard.edu> wrote:

> cmleonard at ccstat.mc.duke.edu wrote:
> >  I would like to see some discussion here concerning the search for
>the primary vector of this strain.  Is it monkeys or cave bat=
> s, as was >suggested by Richard Preston? 
> 
> As far as I've heard/read they haven't been able to identify the vector
even after taking many types of blood/tissue samples from va=
> rious animals.
> Joanne

The primary host of Ebola and other Filoviruses has not been identified as
yet despite the best efforts of the experts in this area.  While I do
agree that finding the normal host is important, it is highly unlikely
that this will lead to a vaccine or cure for the hemoragic fevers cause by
these viruses.  It will allow us to prevent transmission of the virus to
humans and it will allow us to do better research on the viruses but it
will not give us a magic bullet as was the case in "outbreak"  which
everyone must remember was FICTION.

Viruses are, in many cases, the perfect predator.  They use your cellular
machinery to live so it is extraordinarily difficult to attack them
without effecting you.  Indeed there is only one good anti-viral drug
(acyclovir) andit works only moderately well against Herpes viruses. 
Vaccination is currenly our only solid weapon against viruses and there
are many viruses against which we have no good vaccine (HIV, VZV,
Filoviruses).  The bottom line is that we need more basic science research
in viral molecular biology (this is where acyclovir came from) and humman
immunology.  Only through understanding these processes will we be able to
effectively fight viruses of all kinds.  Will we ever be safe from all
viruses?  Probably not.  Viruses, like bacteria, change and evolve much
more rapidly than we do, so every time we come up with something that will
kill them, they will come up with something which will beat us (note the
increased prevalence of multi drug resistant bacterial pathogens). 
Greater understanding of these pathogens themselves and there interaction
with our immune systems is our only chance at keeping up with them.

Now, for all of you who think this post is some shameless ploy designed to
get you to contact your congressmen or represenatives and demand they
increase the funding for basic research in these areas.....  it is!

Don

Don Haut  Wooster '88
Molecular Microbiology and Immunology
University of Missouri-Columbia
C601591 at showme.missouri.edu