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0 pointshackuser11y ago0 comments

> I thought it was well known that ebola can be spread through any bodily fluids and that this includes droplets from coughing and sneezing. What they don't yet know is whether ebola is 'airborne' - i.e. dried droplets that can float in air as is the case with measles for example.

I would suggest to everyone: Don't comment on questions like this one (how Ebola spreads) unless you know for certain what you are saying and can back it up. We have complete saturation of rumors and bad information; adding to it won't improve the situation.

I don't mean to criticize the commenter above; they just happened to have the top-most comment of this kind.

EDIT: What a strong signal of over-reaction when a post that says you should know what you are talking about, on HN, is modded down. (I don't care how it's modded, it's just depressing to see this response here.)

EDIT: The same applies to my other post, which asks serious, legitimate questions in a non-offensive way. How sad.

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001sky11y ago

This (above) comment has no citations and the one you are responding to (GP) is substantially correct.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15588056

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113787/

Ebola and Marburg viruses are the sole members of the genus Filovirus in the family Filoviridae. There has been considerable media attention and fear generated by outbreaks of filoviruses because they can cause a severe viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) syndrome that has a rapid onset and high mortality. Although they are not naturally transmitted by aerosol, they are highly infectious as respirable particles under laboratory conditions. For these and other reasons, filoviruses are classified as category A biological weapons. However, there is very little data from animal studies with aerosolized filoviruses. Animal models of filovirus exposure are not well characterized, and there are discrepancies between these models and what has been observed in human outbreaks. Building on published results from aerosol studies, as well as a review of the history, epidemiology, and disease course of naturally occurring outbreaks, we offer an aerobiologist's perspective on the threat posed by aerosolized filoviruses."

Our study has shown that Lake Victoria marburgvirus (MARV) and Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) can survive for long periods in different liquid media and can also be recovered from plastic and glass surfaces at low temperatures for over 3 weeks. The decay rates of ZEBOV and Reston ebolavirus (REBOV) plus MARV within a dynamic aerosol were calculated. ZEBOV and MARV had similar decay rates, whilst REBOV showed significantly better survival within an aerosol."

Reston is not Ebola, but a close relative.

hackuserOP11y ago

What you posted is from good sources and is interesting, but I'm not sure it's conclusive or helps. They are two studies/reports of possibly many and I don't know their credibility or if they represent consensus or fringe, good science or bad. Also, they require expertise to interpret and draw conclusions from.

We're not qualified to perform our own analysis; what we need are conclusive analyses from experts about the scientific consensus and range of possibilities.

bradleyland11y ago

So we should all be quiet and listen for the experts to give us guidance? Sounds like the antithesis of hacker culture to me. It also sounds like horribly bad advice based on large establishments' historical propensity (categorically) to act from what they know, fail to react to changing environments, and cover up what might make them look bad.

Yes, this is all dangerous thinking. Yes, this is acting from one's gut, rather than waiting on the data. But when it's my life on the line, I'm going to err on the side of caution. When death is on the other side of the decision, I'm going to be a little more skeptical of other people's certainty.

hackuserOP11y ago

> when it's my life on the line

The risk to your life hasn't changed, unless you are writing from West Africa. I would be happy to make a bet with anyone on HN that they will not contract Ebola (assuming they are not posting from West Africa), and that the flu will kill far more Americans this year.

Let's be honest; people are acting on fear. It's very compelling to people in the moment, but I think we all know better and know that it's how people make dumb decisions for themselves and do very bad things to others. The person who stays calm when everyone else is panicking is much safer.

Fear is dangerous and contagious -- much more so than Ebola, because fear can spread over HN. Don't follow the herd; set the example for those around you.

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001sky11y ago

This (above) comment has no citations and the one you are responding to (GP) is substantially correct.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15588056

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4113787/

Reston is not Ebola, but a close relative.

hackuserOP11y ago

We're not qualified to perform our own analysis; what we need are conclusive analyses from experts about the scientific consensus and range of possibilities.

bradleyland11y ago

hackuserOP11y ago

> when it's my life on the line

Fear is dangerous and contagious -- much more so than Ebola, because fear can spread over HN. Don't follow the herd; set the example for those around you.

2 more replies

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse