The red text is false. No new documented Ebola transmission with a 42-day incubation period has been found; the correct reference is that WHO and African authorities as a precautionary measure wait twice the maximum incubation period before declaring an outbreak contained. Indeed, no human Ebola or Marburg cases have been detected ANYWHERE in the world since January 1, 2009.
Besides this obvious error, the article seems to indicate that the bat deaths occurred several years ago, while the identification of the virus likely just occurred.
http://promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,82535
Archive Number 20100502.1428
Published Date 02-MAY-2010
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Ebolavirus, bats - Spain: (AS) RFI
EBOLAVIRUS, BATS - SPAIN: (ASTURIAS) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Sun 2 May 2010
Source: RTVCYL (Radio Television Castilla and Leon) [trans. Mod.MPP, edited]
<http://www.rtvcyl.es/fichaNoticia.cfm/NACIONAL/20100430/virus/ebola/hallado/murcielagos/asturias/parece/inofensivo/4E5B4744-A712-AAD3-B2B588F9780E2B11>
The ebola virus found in the remains of dead bats in Asturias most
likely belongs to a species [of ebolavirus] harmless to humans,
according to Francisco Llinares, Professor of Microbiology at the
University of San Pablo CEU. The professor referred to this case
during the lecture "Filoviridae: Ebola and Marburg," within the
framework of the IV Conference of Microbiology and Public Health at
the San Pablo University CEU, this year [2010] entitled "The coming Virus."
However, he said that "only the results of the laboratory analysis
will determine exactly what type of ebolavirus we found." Llinares
believes this is surely a case of a "new type" [of ebolavirus], i.e.
not as yet documented. In fact, he recalled scientific reports that,
years ago, unexplained deaths of bats had been observed in Asturias.
Only when by chance a group of researchers came to check [on these
bat deaths] did they realize that an ebolavirus was the cause of the mortality.
The above mentioned [laboratory] analysis to distinguish the type of
virus [responsible for the bat die-off] was carried out in France in
a P4 safety level lab, and [Llinares] stated that "Spain cannot
handle this type of virus, because the highest level of laboratory
safety in Spain is P3," he said.
Throughout his speech, Llinares also referred to the [apparent]
evolution of viruses in recent outbreaks that have been documented.
On this point, he expressed concern about the fact that in the recent
cases of [ebolavirus] infection in Uganda and the Congo, the
incubation period has been double what was previously measured. The
previously seen maximum incubation period of 21 days had changed to
42 days, a circumstance that "lengthens the time of possible
infection," and therefore "can help to [further disseminate the virus]."
In spite of the risk and the mortality that the virus carries,
Llinares said that "Ebolavirus is not the new rider of the
Apocalypse." As he noted, "outbreaks have occurred in a very specific
zone -- Equatorial Africa -- which is also very heavily under
surveillance by the World Health Organization."
With regard to possible antidotes, what science can say now is that
"there is no treatment or vaccine." On this point, he reviewed the
research to produce a vaccine that induces the production of
antibodies against the ebolavirus glycoprotein, a protein that the
[ebolavirus] uses to bind to the receptor cell membranes. He also
mentioned the recent discovery that a high percentage of the
population of Gabon has developed antibodies to [ebolavirus] without
having previously developed hemorrhagic fever.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[The RNA negative strand viruses belonging to the family
_Filoviridae_ are classified into 2 genera, one of which is
designated the genus _Marburgvirus_ and the other the genus
_Ebolavirus_. The basis for assigning the Asturias bat viruses
described above to the genus _Ebolavirus_ is unclear. Filoviruses
viruses exhibit a characteristic bacilliform morphology, which may be
the basis for the identification of these viruses rather than the
immunological and genetic characterisation necessary to place them in
the genus _Ebolavirus_.
Not all ebolaviruses are pathogenic for humans, which might explain
the cryptic presence of such viruses in Spain. Cote d'Ivoire
ebolavirus, for example, has been associated with only one case of
human disease, and the Reston ebolaviruses, although pathogenic for
cynomolgous monkeys and swine, are apathogenic in humans. Further
information on the characterisation and distribution of the Asturias
bat filoviruses would be welcomed.
Filoviruses have been frequently isolated from bats, and some species
have been implicated in the transmission of hemorrhagic disease to
humans. Information on the species classification and biology of the
virus-infected bats in Asturias would be welcomed also.
Besides this obvious error, the article seems to indicate that the bat deaths occurred several years ago, while the identification of the virus likely just occurred.
http://promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,82535
Archive Number 20100502.1428
Published Date 02-MAY-2010
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Ebolavirus, bats - Spain: (AS) RFI
EBOLAVIRUS, BATS - SPAIN: (ASTURIAS) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Sun 2 May 2010
Source: RTVCYL (Radio Television Castilla and Leon) [trans. Mod.MPP, edited]
<http://www.rtvcyl.es/fichaNoticia.cfm/NACIONAL/20100430/virus/ebola/hallado/murcielagos/asturias/parece/inofensivo/4E5B4744-A712-AAD3-B2B588F9780E2B11>
The ebola virus found in the remains of dead bats in Asturias most
likely belongs to a species [of ebolavirus] harmless to humans,
according to Francisco Llinares, Professor of Microbiology at the
University of San Pablo CEU. The professor referred to this case
during the lecture "Filoviridae: Ebola and Marburg," within the
framework of the IV Conference of Microbiology and Public Health at
the San Pablo University CEU, this year [2010] entitled "The coming Virus."
However, he said that "only the results of the laboratory analysis
will determine exactly what type of ebolavirus we found." Llinares
believes this is surely a case of a "new type" [of ebolavirus], i.e.
not as yet documented. In fact, he recalled scientific reports that,
years ago, unexplained deaths of bats had been observed in Asturias.
Only when by chance a group of researchers came to check [on these
bat deaths] did they realize that an ebolavirus was the cause of the mortality.
The above mentioned [laboratory] analysis to distinguish the type of
virus [responsible for the bat die-off] was carried out in France in
a P4 safety level lab, and [Llinares] stated that "Spain cannot
handle this type of virus, because the highest level of laboratory
safety in Spain is P3," he said.
Throughout his speech, Llinares also referred to the [apparent]
evolution of viruses in recent outbreaks that have been documented.
On this point, he expressed concern about the fact that in the recent
cases of [ebolavirus] infection in Uganda and the Congo, the
incubation period has been double what was previously measured. The
previously seen maximum incubation period of 21 days had changed to
42 days, a circumstance that "lengthens the time of possible
infection," and therefore "can help to [further disseminate the virus]."
In spite of the risk and the mortality that the virus carries,
Llinares said that "Ebolavirus is not the new rider of the
Apocalypse." As he noted, "outbreaks have occurred in a very specific
zone -- Equatorial Africa -- which is also very heavily under
surveillance by the World Health Organization."
With regard to possible antidotes, what science can say now is that
"there is no treatment or vaccine." On this point, he reviewed the
research to produce a vaccine that induces the production of
antibodies against the ebolavirus glycoprotein, a protein that the
[ebolavirus] uses to bind to the receptor cell membranes. He also
mentioned the recent discovery that a high percentage of the
population of Gabon has developed antibodies to [ebolavirus] without
having previously developed hemorrhagic fever.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[The RNA negative strand viruses belonging to the family
_Filoviridae_ are classified into 2 genera, one of which is
designated the genus _Marburgvirus_ and the other the genus
_Ebolavirus_. The basis for assigning the Asturias bat viruses
described above to the genus _Ebolavirus_ is unclear. Filoviruses
viruses exhibit a characteristic bacilliform morphology, which may be
the basis for the identification of these viruses rather than the
immunological and genetic characterisation necessary to place them in
the genus _Ebolavirus_.
Not all ebolaviruses are pathogenic for humans, which might explain
the cryptic presence of such viruses in Spain. Cote d'Ivoire
ebolavirus, for example, has been associated with only one case of
human disease, and the Reston ebolaviruses, although pathogenic for
cynomolgous monkeys and swine, are apathogenic in humans. Further
information on the characterisation and distribution of the Asturias
bat filoviruses would be welcomed.
Filoviruses have been frequently isolated from bats, and some species
have been implicated in the transmission of hemorrhagic disease to
humans. Information on the species classification and biology of the
virus-infected bats in Asturias would be welcomed also.
