SARS - scary stuff
- Thread starter Silent_One
- Start date
Demonio said:
the Gia hypothesis, i don't put its my faith in it as much as many others; but i do see some truth to it.
also, i have had my share of respiratory issues due to allergies to molds and a weakened immune system from working and playing way to hard; from that experience i can tell you that cocktails of antiviral drugs and steroids only work for so long. eventually i came to the point were the infection was so bad that the doctors ran out of medications to try and i had so much buildup in the tubes that control equilibrium that i had to resort using diluted hydrochloric acid to clear them out. i came down with a small sinus infection about a year after that but just fought it with a hearty lifestyle and have been good for two years sense then. please not that i am not trying to downplay the importance of doctors but simply pointing out that they cannot save us from ourselves.
Silent_One
Newcomer
An update
SARS is still spreading, not looking good:
CDC: Mystery illness spreads more easily than first thought
http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/03/29/mystery.illness/index.html
I have friends who have been in Hong Kong for the last two weeks. They should be home any day now. I don't know about visiting them for a while though. :?
SARS is still spreading, not looking good:
CDC: Mystery illness spreads more easily than first thought
http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/03/29/mystery.illness/index.html
I have friends who have been in Hong Kong for the last two weeks. They should be home any day now. I don't know about visiting them for a while though. :?
It's getting more serious here in Singapore (though nowhere as bad as Hong Kong and other areas). We have 3 deaths and close to a hundred infected. All non-tertiary educational facilities are closed for 10 days (max virus incubation period). Education Ministry is in consultation on whether to shut down all the tertiary institutes as well and extending the duration. People suspected to have come into contact with those infected are quarantined (by law) to stay at home. There's another index case (original source) that just popped up, making 5 total now.
Local papers:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest/story/0,4390,180281,00.html?
Local papers:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest/story/0,4390,180281,00.html?
epicstruggle said:
Well I don't know if anyone explained this or not so far as I didn't read the whole thread but.... My understanding is that the resistant bacteria does not come directly from the use of antibiotics to kill the virus in question but rather if a person whom is infected with the flu virus is taking antibiotics to get better and does not finish the prescription or is not prescribed enough to kill the virus entirely then the virus may develop some resistance of the antibiotic being used. The overprescription of these antibiotics for the flu is likely the source of many more resistant variations of influenza that will likely end up becoming a deadly affliction rather then a simple cold and this is a major fear as a result of this over prescribing of antibiotics. The same fear was considered when doctors began to treat AIDS with antibiotics fearing it would cause the virus to mutate and become even more deadly then it already is. This may very well be the first of many considerably more dangerous forms of the influenza virus and I do believe this will cause doctors to reconsider prescribing antibiotics for the flu. BTW it really is scary.
On that note, I am sure there are plenty here whom have read the uncut version of "The Stand" where Steven King discribes the massive outbreak of some deadly flu like virus that wipes out most of the population this SARS virus reminds me of that story .... creepy. While the outbreak was a result of the virus being some sort of biological warefare weapon and the book takes a strange supernatural twist the viral outbreak discribed in that story still creeps me out. I wouldn't recomend anyone whom is really scared of the SARS virus to read that book.
Sabastian said:. I wouldn't recomend anyone whom is really scared of the SARS virus to read that book.
Heh, just have to read it then. Although, personally, I'm not really scared of SARS due to it's relativly quick incubation period - that allows for conventional containment. But, what scares the shit out of me is the prospect of an airborne HIV strain.
Vince said:
heh, my dad came down with a real bad case of the flu while I read the book made me creep out when I hear someone cough hard. Make sure it is the uncut version. Some dry parts but really a good read. Oh and it is a rather long story make sure you have lots of free time.
Sxotty said:
The governments sure are not reacting as if it is no big deal. Initially I hear of 10 cases in Canada out of them 10 cases there were 2 deaths but that doesn't seem to jive with what we have been hearing lately... I never hear of an outbreak in my life where they shut down hospitals on a large scale like they have in Ontario. In Hong Kong they quarantined a whole apartment building.. sounds serious to me. I don't think I would want to catch this bug.
arjan de lumens
Veteran
Been wondering a little - does SARS kill otherwise healthy inidividuals, or is it more like traditional flu/pneumonia, mostly killing people already weakened by other disease/old age?
not completely sure but I believe that it only kills the weak and old.
My theory, which many do not like, is that these "super bugs" are just a newer, more resilient version of natural selection at work.
Quite frankly, 100 years from now, I fully expect our children to be suffering from "super bugs" and other diseases a lot worse than the children of people currently drinking filthy brown water in third world countries.
If you think about it, those people who endure much harder lives are likely becoming a much hardier breed of human through good old fashioned natural selection. They are still being exposed to many diseases that won't even touch our bodies during out lifetimes. Not to mention the thousands that starve or die from other reasons.
My theory, which many do not like, is that these "super bugs" are just a newer, more resilient version of natural selection at work.
Quite frankly, 100 years from now, I fully expect our children to be suffering from "super bugs" and other diseases a lot worse than the children of people currently drinking filthy brown water in third world countries.
If you think about it, those people who endure much harder lives are likely becoming a much hardier breed of human through good old fashioned natural selection. They are still being exposed to many diseases that won't even touch our bodies during out lifetimes. Not to mention the thousands that starve or die from other reasons.
Hi all,
Finally, my area of speciality! First of all, antibiotics will do nothing to viruses (as has already been stated), so there's no point in treating this (or any other viral infection, for that matter) with antibiotics. Secondly, most of these strains arise as a result of the increased reproduction in bacteria (and AFAIK, virii). A bacterial population will double every eight minutes. So, basically, take the theory of evolution, speed it up big time (can't be bothered doing the math!) and I'm sure that you can see why we are seeing new and resistant strains of bacteria/virii. Increased use of AB's does not help this either.
It is also correct that some people don't take their full prescription of AB's when they have a bacterial infection, which can lead to increases in mutations. With AB's, there are two concentrations, a mean inhibitory concentration, and (I think, can't remember the name!) a mean bacteriocidal concentration. What happens is that some people take enough of the AB to reach the MIC, which will kill most bacteria, but not all. It is usually these ones left that then become resistant to the AB. However, the MBC has not been reached, so not all bacteria are killed, and people then carry the resistant bacteria around. However, most mutations probably occur in livestock, as 99% of the world's AB's go into feed, with only 1% going to humans. Go figure.....
Finally, my area of speciality! First of all, antibiotics will do nothing to viruses (as has already been stated), so there's no point in treating this (or any other viral infection, for that matter) with antibiotics. Secondly, most of these strains arise as a result of the increased reproduction in bacteria (and AFAIK, virii). A bacterial population will double every eight minutes. So, basically, take the theory of evolution, speed it up big time (can't be bothered doing the math!) and I'm sure that you can see why we are seeing new and resistant strains of bacteria/virii. Increased use of AB's does not help this either.
It is also correct that some people don't take their full prescription of AB's when they have a bacterial infection, which can lead to increases in mutations. With AB's, there are two concentrations, a mean inhibitory concentration, and (I think, can't remember the name!) a mean bacteriocidal concentration. What happens is that some people take enough of the AB to reach the MIC, which will kill most bacteria, but not all. It is usually these ones left that then become resistant to the AB. However, the MBC has not been reached, so not all bacteria are killed, and people then carry the resistant bacteria around. However, most mutations probably occur in livestock, as 99% of the world's AB's go into feed, with only 1% going to humans. Go figure.....
I almost forgot, an excellent website for up to date info on SARS:
http://www.medscape.com/pages/editorial/public/toc-sars
http://www.medscape.com/pages/editorial/public/toc-sars
This is something more and more distressing to me. I am beginning to think that this is possibly a biological attack..... by North Korea. I know that this is a very speculative suggestion but I would suggest that North Korea is less then happy about the US attack in Iraq and is beginning to seriously consider the idea that this countries days are numbered as well. The outbreak of SARS in the East at literally the outset of the War on Iraq seems like no small coincidence.
This virus is deadly and it does seem to spread relatively quick suggesting that indeed it is airborne. If you look at the quarantined people on the news you will notice that indeed they are forced to wear masks .. I would suggest to others reading this post that our states are very worried that this outbreak will cause panic. The suggestion coming from the media is that this virus is not something to be worried about but I beg to differ. The actions of quarantine are very unusual and suggest that indeed there are serious worries that the virus is spreading .. rapidly.
Now I would be the first one to stand up and suggest that this is not a worry. But .... this virus seems to be causing some serious action on behalf of the countries involved. At any rate it is a very alarming development and I do think possibly that this is action taken by North Korea. Surely I am not certain of this but it does as though the outbreak was timed well with the onset of War with Iraq and I believe it is possibly a biological attack in response to the coalition effort in Iraq. Time will tell. Biological warfare is a scary thing. This virus is creeping me out and I would not put it past North Korean leaders to release just this sort of attack.
This virus is deadly and it does seem to spread relatively quick suggesting that indeed it is airborne. If you look at the quarantined people on the news you will notice that indeed they are forced to wear masks .. I would suggest to others reading this post that our states are very worried that this outbreak will cause panic. The suggestion coming from the media is that this virus is not something to be worried about but I beg to differ. The actions of quarantine are very unusual and suggest that indeed there are serious worries that the virus is spreading .. rapidly.
Now I would be the first one to stand up and suggest that this is not a worry. But .... this virus seems to be causing some serious action on behalf of the countries involved. At any rate it is a very alarming development and I do think possibly that this is action taken by North Korea. Surely I am not certain of this but it does as though the outbreak was timed well with the onset of War with Iraq and I believe it is possibly a biological attack in response to the coalition effort in Iraq. Time will tell. Biological warfare is a scary thing. This virus is creeping me out and I would not put it past North Korean leaders to release just this sort of attack.
I've got a website for you if you believe that one:
www.timecube.com
Or maybe www.rense.com, or www.debka.com, or...
www.timecube.com
Or maybe www.rense.com, or www.debka.com, or...