Ebola outbreak

[Ryan Chamberlain]

Another case confirmed in Dallas. Another hospital worker who was around Duncan.

Scary.

[ellabelle]

The death rate for this strain of Ebola is at 70%. That's pretty scary. I'd really like to know more about the people who survive it, regardless of where in the world they live. What characteristics do those people have in common? Were their cases caught early? Was there some form of treatment that was more effective than others? What age range are the survivors? How was their health prior to diagnosis? What is it that makes someone more likely to survive than the other half dozen or so people around them who get it and die?

Dr. Brantley, the American doctor who contracted Ebola in West Africa while working with Samaritan's Purse and was airlifted to Emory and recovered, has donated plasma to Nina Pham, the nurse in Dallas who has Ebola. He reportedly offered to donate plasma to Thomas Duncan as well, but they didn't have compatible blood types. I read that and realized that if survival is dependent on the blood of an Ebola survivor, those of us with rare blood types (myself included) are screwed if we get sick.

[marceline]

If you survive Ebola are you immune? I've seen suggestions that's the case but no definitive statements. Is this the type of thing you can develop antibodies to? Does it depend on the strain you catch?

[ellabelle]

My understanding is that your body produces antibodies to the disease, and you're considered immune for some length of time (I've seen 10 years, but no one is really sure), assuming the disease does not significantly mutate. If it does, survivors could be vulnerable again.

There's an article here about Ebola survivors working in hospitals to care for Ebola patients: http://online.wsj.com/articles/liberian-ebola-survivor-now-comforts-other-patients-1413301824

The Wall Street Journal has a good map, linked with articles, about the geographic spread of the disease: http://graphics.wsj.com/maps/ebolas-deadly-reach

[ellabelle]

Partial answer to my own question:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/surviving-ebola-for-those-who-live-through-it-what-lies-ahead/

"Any chance of surviving Ebola largely hinges upon early access to medical care when symptoms such as fever, headache, and joint and muscle pain first arise. By the time the disease progresses to hemorrhaging, it's almost always too late.

Patients who receive supportive therapies early on to manage symptoms and complications have a better chance of living through it, although survival is still far from certain. Early interventions may include intravenous fluids and electrolytes for dehydration, maintaining blood pressure, transfusions to replace blood lost due to hemorrhaging, as well as treating any subsequent infections that result from the virus. Most Ebola patients actually die from low blood pressure and shock rather than blood loss."

[Soapsuds]

That was sad to hear but the nurse I believe has been upgraded to good condition.

[marceline]

So it turns out the sick nurse flew on a Frontier Airlines flight out of the Cleveland airport the night before she started showing symptoms so I'm about to get a front row seat to Ebola hysteria. This should be wild fun.

[Soapsuds]

I just read that those on the flight need to contact the CDC.

[JaneAusten]

Yep.

Ok I am wondering. Aren't the people on the team who were treating Duncan being monitored, particularly since the first nurse was diagnosed? Why was this nurse traveling?

http://news.yahoo.com/ebola-diagnosed-in-second-dallas-nurse-105542930.html

[marceline]

The local news is living down to my worst expectations already. Breaking news reports, live streams on the web, vapid reporters asking ridiculous questions, it's like Lebron's decision all over again.

[ellabelle]

This is becoming worse and worse. Those 132 people on that plane could have gone anywhere.

[DramatistDreamer]

They were not being monitored until nurse Pham tested positive. The nurse in Spain went on holiday after her patient died of Ebola. Fortunately, in Spain there have been no additional reports of others having ebola since then.

In case anyone is wondering, the CDC put out a statement a few days ago, declaring that they do not have the authority to compel hospitals to follow protocols, as hospitals are state run, not federal institutions. The most the CDC can really do is act as a clearinghouse and send out directives but they cannot enforce them.

[ellabelle]

I believe most of them were self-monitoring and were supposed to report elevated temperature, which this second nurse, Amber Vinson DID... but she should have reported it IN Cleveland before she got on the damn plane.

[Mr. Vixen]

[!@#$%^&*] I'm about to fly Frontier to Cleveland next week!!!

[marceline]

I'm cracking up at the people online who are wondering if the airport is clean. I'm like, "Ummm, it's Hopkins. It hasn't been clean since the Clinton administration."