Timeline for How to effectively deliver a flu virus that destroys the brains ability to absorb serotonin?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
14 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2015 at 14:48 | vote | accept | Jax | ||
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:53 | comment | added | Nick2253 | @DustinJackson Are you talking about the virus still being infection? That's also not true. When treated with modern antivirals, people with HIV have no detectable viral load in their body. They are not infectious (thought it's not 100% possible to stop it). The problem is that viruses are much better than their bacterial counterparts in establishing undetectable reservoirs in the human body. For people with hepatitis C, somewhere between 25-75% are cured after a course of antivirals, and are not infectious while taking the medicines (assuming they are taking them properly, of course). | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:49 | comment | added | Jax | But they are still infectious and after the number of infected reaches a certain number it becomes a serious threat. Thanks for the bacteria list though. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:48 | comment | added | Nick2253 | @DustinJackson Here are 10 untreatable bacterial illnesses that are a serious threat today. When you say "untreatable viruses" I'm assuming you are talking about viruses like HIV, hepatitis, and herpes. Contrary to popular belief, all are well controlled with antiviral medicine. People with HIV treated with antivirals now have life expectancies equal to the general population. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:42 | comment | added | Jax | I mean, rabies for example is 100% fatal after a time. Most bacteria (can't think of any that r not) are treatable. Many viruses are untreatable and that isn't changing anytime soon. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:35 | comment | added | Nick2253 | @Twelfth I definitely think it's possible (and granted, that is 1 in 8 children with severe symptoms). But just like training astronauts to be drillers, I think it would be much easier to pick a vector that already infects the areas needed, as opposed to redeveloping it. In other words, it's much easier to change a virus'/bacteria's payload than it is to change their infection mechanism. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:32 | comment | added | Nick2253 | @DustinJackson The same problem is happening with antivirals. Today, we use antivirals to control and manage numerous high-risk diseases. And, while we are getting better and better and developing antivirals, the viruses are growing more and more resistant. The idea that either one will ever be completely controlled is a pie-in-the-sky dream, not a likely reality. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:32 | comment | added | Twelfth | 1 of 8 children with it in the cerebrospinal fluid would mean it is at least possible...wouldn't that mean an engineered virus would be capable of specifically targeting it? That might limit transmission though. I agree with your take on a bacterial strain though +1 for it. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 19:30 | comment | added | Nick2253 | @DustinJackson The fact that all bacteria are treatable with antibiotics is a common misconception. Only certain types of bacteria are treatable with certain types of antibiotics. And every day, more and more antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are naturally developing. There's a serious threat that, in a few decades, far from having bacterial infections under control, we will once again be besieged. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 18:38 | comment | added | Jax | And if humanity survives for thousands of more years, it is likely that we have perfected the art of treating bacterial illnesses if not most viral illnesses. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 18:36 | comment | added | Jax | The problem with bacteria is that most if not all are easily treatable with some sort of antibiotic. If I go down the bacteria road it'll end up being back to the drawing board for the aliens. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 18:23 | comment | added | Nick2253 | @Twelfth There's a big difference between H1N1 causing neurological symptoms by interacting with the peripheral nervous system and it penetrating the brain. In a survey of eight children with severe neurological symptoms, only one had H1N1 detected in the cerebrospinal fluid: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15520093 | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 18:18 | comment | added | Twelfth | Apparently H1N1 can come with a host of neurological complications...all studies mention more study is needed though. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3559119 quote: Mild neurological complaints may be reported in up to 42% of patients infected by H1N1 virus. Severe neurological complications occurred in 9% of the patients. The most common neurological manifestations were headache, numbness and paresthesia, drowsiness and coma. One patient had a Guillain-Barre syndrome-like illness, and died in a few days. Another patient had focal status epilepticus and encephalopathy. | |
| Mar 11, 2015 at 17:46 | history | answered | Nick2253 | CC BY-SA 3.0 |