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Posted
i remeber learning about how some bactiria can take in genetic material, though i never heard of a virus that can do it. that said, im not a virologist, im not will smith in i am legend.

Viruses pick up genetic material an awful lot more than bacteria - in the latter case it's just limited to transfer of plasmids, whereas viruses (especially certain bacteriophages) do all sorts of crazy things. Including, in some cases, integrating themselves into the DNA of the host and lying dormant, then when given the right stimulus extracting themselves along with a bit of the host's DNA and using the cell machinery to form huge numbers of replicas, killing the host in the process.

Posted
Viruses pick up genetic material an awful lot more than bacteria - in the latter case it's just limited to transfer of plasmids, whereas viruses (especially certain bacteriophages) do all sorts of crazy things. Including, in some cases, integrating themselves into the DNA of the host and lying dormant, then when given the right stimulus extracting themselves along with a bit of the host's DNA and using the cell machinery to form huge numbers of replicas, killing the host in the process.

 

Yup; retroviruses for example are quite well-known for integrating their own genome into that of the host. The good news is that they are targets for artificial gene delivery.

Posted

Dear god, it's not smallpox! I highlight the following in the BBC article Daft posted:

 

Six people fell have also fallen ill in California and two in Texas - only one was treated in hospital and all have since recovered.

 

One person has been infected in London though is 'responding to treatment'. If all else fails, we head for Madagascar.

Posted

So 5 people DIDN'T go to hospital for treatment and they got better? Sounds like the apolcalypse to me. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a bunker to make. Those filters won't install themselves.

 

I vote we call it TurboUltraMegaPlague2.0 or TUMP2.0 for short.

Posted

Lol.

 

from wikipedia: An influenza pandemic is an epidemic of an influenza virus that spreads on a worldwide scale and infects a large proportion of the human population. In contrast to the regular seasonal epidemics of influenza, these pandemics occur irregularly, with the 1918 Spanish flu the most serious pandemic in recent history. Pandemics can cause high levels of mortality, with the Spanish influenza being responsible for the deaths of over 50 million people. There have been about 3 influenza pandemics in each century for the last 300 years. The most recent ones were the Asian Flu in 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu in 1968.

 

statistically then, we've had 3 out breaks in the last 100 years, so we should be good for another 9 years :P I hope :/

 

If it does hit here, isolated populations are most vulnerable.. ie since the uk gets reasonable through traffic we get a wide range of nasties introduced to us.. so our immune systems are generally better adapted to responding to new "challenges".

 

death rates seem to be generally below 20%... so that would be 1 in 5, more likely 1 in 10 or lower these days I would have thought.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:W_curve.png

there's a nice graph showing mortality rates at different ages from 1918. apparently 25-34 is a bad age to be if this one hits :/ however, it seems it kills by way of cytokine storm. in which case late nights, alcohol misuse, nicotine use, little exercise, high fat foods should all help. so basically, if you're unhealthy chill. if you're healthy... get your mask :P

Posted

How will the Goverment "attempt" to prevent this getting into the country. They failed with Bird Flu and all that. Oh well, increase your hygiene guys and gals. Could be the best way to prevent country coverage if it does arrive.

Posted
Well they say they've got enough for half the country, to minimise spreadage, jab the people near entry points into the country or something. Just for fun.

 

Imagine that

 

"Hi welcome to Britain, lift your sleeve................ Thanks, have a lolly-pop"

Posted

Can't wait until South Park does an episode of this. Or maybe they'll just re air the SARS one.

 

I'm trying to find a way to express how much I don't care about this.

Guest Jordan
Posted

JESUS.

Why the FUCK haven't ports been closed yet to anything but industrial reasons? This is completely insane. Not to scare monger but, at the rate this is spreading who the fuck knows what's going to have happend within 2 weeks?

 

I suppose if the people who have it outside of Mexico recover, we're okay but. Is no one else worried?

Guest Jordan
Posted

Flu + unpleasant death!

 

Seems that if you deal with it early (like here in the UK) problem solved. Unlucky Mexicans... having to live in Mexico like that.

Posted
JESUS.

Why the FUCK haven't ports been closed yet to anything but industrial reasons? This is completely insane. Not to scare monger but, at the rate this is spreading who the fuck knows what's going to have happend within 2 weeks?

 

I suppose if the people who have it outside of Mexico recover, we're okay but. Is no one else worried?

 

To put it simply. No.

Posted

Why be worried? It's another case of the media blowing things out of proportion yet a-fucking-gain. I saw the news report on the BBC today, and it was amazing how horrific they made it sound...then followed with a quick mention of how easy it will be to stop with a certain type of medicine right at the end of the report.


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