Our Common Foe

Viruses

 Unable to replicate in the absence of a host cell, viruses are essentially parasitic nucleic acids, naked, except for an outer protein loincloth to shield their modesty. Fortunately for them, they are adept at commandeering the cellular machinery of host cells for their own ends.

In the absence of fossil records, it is difficult to estimate their age. Are modern day viruses the descendants of earth’s earliest life-forms, or some evolutionary remnant? Bacteria date back to at least 3.5 billion years. And the host specific targeting of bacteria by phages could suggest some form of co-evolution. 



bacteriophages attached to a
bacterial cell wall

Once inside the host cell they can replicate like viral rabbits, causing the host cell to rupture and release their viral progeny in search of more host cells. And, or, they can incorporate their genetic material into the host genome and lay dormant until some stress factor induces replication.

Viruses can be our allies in research and in combating harmful bacteria, (as is the case with the aforementioned bacteriophage) or our worst enemies.

Our current defense strategies include: evasive measures (hygiene, sanitation, quarantine and education) natural or acquired immunity (in utero, vaccines) as well as post-infection treatments like  mono-clonal antibodies and antiretroviral drugs (ARV's interfere with viral replication in host cell.)

And these measures can and do save millions of lives.

That more than 55,000 people still die each year from rabies is a tragic statistic. Still, the fact that each year more than 15 million people receive the post-exposure rabies vaccine, thus preventing the death toll from climbing higher is cause for measured optimism.
That cholera still takes the lives of 100,000-120,000 people each year is beyond tragic. But what would that figure look like in the absence of public health, education, access to rehydration salts and improved sanitation?

 *



Increase over time in the cases and deaths during
the 2014 outbreak

In a perfect world, we would not view human suffering through the detached lens of 'us' and 'them.' In a perfect world, we would not require a critical tipping point to be reached before affordable medicines and diagnostics became available to a market dearly in need. In a perfect world, political, governmental, societal, religious, financial and geographical barriers would not exist to impede the ability of help to reach those in need. 

One of the many questions that came to my mind in reading about the recent outbreak of Ebola in West Africa was the hypothetical: If a vaccine were to become available tomorrow, would it have the power to end this crisis? Case in point, Polio, a disease nearly eradicated, which has been steadily rearing its viral head in at least three countries, "with 99 cases reported so far this year in Pakistan."

For the administration of any treatment to be effective, it must work in concert with the implementation of focused strategies by Government Ministries. Strategies encompassing the coordination of efforts at both the national and international level, accessibility, education, and improvements in agricultural practices, sanitation and public health.

*

 During the 2003 SARS outbreak, my job took me into hospitals on a daily basis; where, upon my entry I was questioned, masked, gloved and had my temperature taken. It never occurred to me not to proceed. I didn't feel fear. I felt protected, even a little annoyed by the precautions being enforced by the invisible hand.* Despite my mild annoyance, I trusted the hand to keep me safe; I trusted that in enforcing such measures, it had the best interest of the population in mind. I have never known the fear of diseases against which vaccinations exist, nor those treatable by antibiotics. That is not to say that apprehensions do not linger on the periphery, rather, that I do not feel them acutely. They don't affect my daily life. To a large extent, I feel there is a safety net below me. Speaking for myself, from my Canadian perspective, I feel very fortunate indeed to have such infrastructures in place; but what about the countries, cities, towns and villages where such infrastructures do not exist? It goes without saying that we should feel empathic and compelled to assist in whatever manner we are capable. But even for those who view the world as 'us' and 'them' and 'not my problem,' this question of infrastructure is one to be considered very carefully. We live in a time and on a planet where there are few limitations on the transit routes of potential pathogenic hosts. We are after all, as one as a species on this giant blue orb and pathogens have no respect for geographic borders. *(Not intended to be a reference to Adam Smith)



  

EBOLA








We know how to prevent the transmission of Ebola. And with proper measures in place its spread can be effectively contained. Ebola is not (yet) air-borne. And at present, if detected in the early stages, the likelihood of surviving the infection is improving. So why is this most recent Ebola outbreak terrorizing West Africa and threatening to spread across borders?

The answers to that question are provided in a clear and concise manner in this link to the August 1, 2014 WHO Director-General's 'Overview of the Ebola situation delivered to the Presidents of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.'

Below are a few excerpts taken from the address made by Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization.

"West Africa’s outbreak is caused by the most lethal strain in the family of Ebola viruses.
... It is the largest in terms of numbers of cases and deaths, with 1,323 cases and 729 deaths reported to date in four countries.
It is the largest in terms of geographical areas already affected and others at immediate risk of further spread.
... It is taking place in areas with fluid population movements over porous borders, and it has demonstrated its ability to spread via air travel, contrary to what has been seen in past outbreaks.
...this outbreak is moving faster than our efforts to control it. If the situation continues to deteriorate, the consequences can be catastrophic in terms of lost lives but also severe socioeconomic disruption and a high risk of spread to other countries.
... This is not an airborne virus. Transmission requires close contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, also after death. Apart from this specific situation, the general public is not at high risk of infection by the Ebola virus. At the same time, it would be extremely unwise for national authorities and the international community to allow an Ebola virus to circulate widely and over a long period of time in human populations. Constant mutation and adaptation are the survival mechanisms of viruses and other microbes.
... We must not give this virus opportunities to deliver more surprises."










There are certain situations in which I don't believe intent matters; that is to say, if we wait around for pure intentions, we may never accomplish much of anything. So if the intent behind our decision to help combat the spread of this disease; to assist financially, medically, pharmaceutically and/or logistically, is based upon our concerns about Ebola spreading across oceans, then so-be-it; that's okay. Whatever the motivation, when we consider the current lack of containment, the variable incubation period (anywhere from 2-21 days,) the absence of licensed vaccine and the lethality of this virus, it is clear that the need for efforts to be escalated (in a coordinated manner) is most urgent indeed.

Science fiction may conjure fears of an imminent alien threat. Wars may rage on and 


 Influenza genetic shift

on with battle lines drawn in shifting sands, and with lives lost to shrapnel and bullets and blast. But there is a common threat that connects each member of the human race, and it is indifferent to our beliefs, prejudice, geography, skin colour, sex, commerce and religion. Namely, the threat we face from the pathogenic foes against whom we are incalculably outnumbered. Their stealth and streamlined simplicity allows for rapid infiltration, replication and adaptability.Locked in an arms race, our ability to stay one step ahead is largely dependent upon the singularly human arsenal of intelligence, compassion and shared experience. All three are equally important for the survival of our species, for though it may provide the premise for an entertaining film, I would not want to live in any version of the dystopia created should factors converge which would enable this foe (or any of its relations) to gain the upper hand.

UPDATES:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2746200/Sierra-Leone-placed-lockdown-residents-told-stay-inside-homes-three-days-effort-stop-spread-Ebola.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/08/28/first-human-study-of-cana_n_5733236.html

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jinamoore/two-days-after-it-opens-mob-destroys-ebola-center-in-liberia#20uwjlq

http://www.voanews.com/content/nigeria-confirms-ebola-cases-from-secondary-contact-with-victims/2424563.html






SOURCES

http://www.vox.com/2014/7/31/5952515/facts-you-should-know-about-the-ebola-outbreak?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=voxdotcom&utm_content=thursday
http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2014/ebola/en/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jimdalrympleii/this-is-how-ebola-compares-to-other-recent-big-epidemics
http://time.com/3051398/polio-pakistan-rotary/
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs107/en/
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs099/en/
http://www.astrobio.net/topic/origins/extreme-life/tracking-viruses-back-in-time/
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/
https://testtube.com/dnews/can-you-recover-from-ebola/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidkroll/2014/08/05/ebola-secret-serum-small-biopharma-the-army-and-big-tobacco/
http://www.who.int/hiv/topics/treatment/en/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola_virus_disease


IMAGE CREDITS

"Phage" by Dr Graham Beards - en:Image:Phage.jpg. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phage.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Phage.jpg

"Diseased Ebola 2014" by Leopoldo Martin R - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diseased_Ebola_2014.png#mediaviewer/File:Diseased_Ebola_2014.png 

"Ebola virus virion" by CDC/Cynthia Goldsmith - Public Health Image Library, #10816This media comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Image Library (PHIL), with identification number #10816.Note: Not all PHIL images are public domain; be sure to check copyright status and credit authors and content providers.English | Slovenščina | +/−. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ebola_virus_virion.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Ebola_virus_virion.jpg

"EbolaCycle" by CDC - http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/resources/virus-ecology.html. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:EbolaCycle.png#mediaviewer/File:EbolaCycle.png

"Symptoms of ebola" by Mikael Häggström - Own work. Source information:Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.P age last updated: January 28, 2014.. Licensed under Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Symptoms_of_ebola.png#mediaviewer/File:Symptoms_of_ebola.png

 "Influenza geneticshift" by Influenza_geneticshift.jpg: Dhorspool at en.wikipediaderivative work: Jiver - This file was derived from:Influenza_geneticshift.jpg. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Influenza_geneticshift.svg#mediaviewer/File:Influenza_geneticshift.svg