Ebola Escapes Europe's Defenses; Pet Dog Must Die

[B2G]

MADRID — Oct 7, 2014, 2:04 PM ET
By BARRY HATTON and CIARAN GILES Associated Press


Health officials scrambled Tuesday to figure out how West Africa's Ebola outbreak got past Europe's defenses, quarantining four people at a Madrid hospital where a Spanish nursing assistant became infected. Determined to contain the spread of the deadly virus, they even announced plans to euthanize the woman's pet dog.

The first case of Ebola transmitted outside Africa, where a months-long outbreak has killed more than 3,400 people, is raising questions about how prepared wealthier countries really are.

For Europeans, a distant problem has arrived on their doorstep, and as Spanish health workers complain about inadequate equipment and poor training, the all-important tourism industry was showing its anxiety.

Medical officials in the United States, meanwhile, are retraining hospital staff and find-tuning infection control procedures after the mishandling of a critically ill Liberian man in Texas, where he could have exposed many others to the virus after being sent away by a hospital.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/nurse-spain-ebola-raising-global-concern-26009821

[shenmue]

1. Aww, man

[B2G]

2. I've read articles that indicate

That dogs can be carriers. Which makes one wonder about all of those unburied bodies in W. Africa.

"Madrid's regional government even got a court order to euthanize and incinerate their pet, "Excalibur," against the couple's objections. The government said available scientific knowledge suggests a risk that the mixed-breed dog could transmit the virus to humans, and promised to use "biosecurity" measures to prevent any such transmission."

[kestrel91316]

13. I've never heard that. It's probably more FauxNooz crapola.

I'll do some moseying around the intertubes to see what I can find.

ETA this re cats: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/lorieahuston/2014/august/ebola-virus-and-cats-31940
NOPE, don't blame the cat.

Dogs apparently can become asymptomatically infected, but their role in any Ebola transmission is uncertain. I suspect the Spanish authorities are acting out of an abundance of caution. I can't say I blame them in this situation. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/3/pdfs/04-0981.pdf

So: Speculation, but not utter crapola is the verdict from kestrel.

[B2G]

14. Cali posted a link downthread too.

Let us know what you find.

[abakan]

3. I could be wrong, I guess, but....

I do not believe ebola is transmitted to or from canines. As many human illness are not transferable inter-species.

I am wrong... it is zoonotic.

This is correct: What Is Ebola?

According to comprehensive Center for Disease Control (CDC) studies, Ebola is a virus or group of viruses that originated in central Africa, possibly in birds. The main reservoir for the virus now is thought to be African fruit bats.

In people the virus causes headaches, muscle and joint pain, fever, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting and then progresses to kidney failure and the hemorrhagic stage when the victim begins bleeding internally and externally.

Among primates, including humans, the disease is 50 to 90% fatal.

What Creatures Are at Risk For Ebola Infection?

Ebola is a zoonotic disease, which means it can be passed between species. The most adversely affected group is primates, including gorillas, chimpanzees, monkeys and humans. Other animals known to have been naturally infected are the African fruit bats, antelope, porcupines, rodents, pigs and dogs. There have been no documented infections in felines at this time.

How Is Ebola Spread?

Ebola is spread in several ways. An important study done by CDC infectious disease experts and veterinarians following the 2001-2002 Ebola outbreak concluded that consumption of infected meat was one avenue. Gorillas and other primates kill and eat infected animals, African hunters trade in "bush meat" and people who consume that can become infected.

An important way Ebola is spread amongst humans is by direct contact with body fluids such as urine, saliva, vomit, feces, semen and blood from infected individuals.

Objects such as needles may also be contaminated with infected fluids.

How Do Dogs Get Ebola?

Dogs and other animals pick up Ebola from consuming infected meat, direct contact with infectious fluids such as urine, feces.

Dogs are kept as pets and for hunting in Africa but are not typically fed, therefore they scavenge and ingest infected meat or residue from infected people. The very detailed CDC study found evidence of infection in dogs by testing hundreds of blood samples for antibodies.

What are Symptoms of Ebola in Dogs?

The CDC concluded that infected dogs are asymptomatic (do not develop symptoms) from Ebola. During the initial time of their infection, however, they can spread the disease to humans and other animals through licking, biting, grooming, saliva, tears, urine, and feces. However, once the virus is cleared from the dog it is no longer contagious. Dogs do not die from Ebola infections.

Can MY Dog Get Ebola?

In the United States and areas of the world not contiguous to the affected countries in central Africa, the chances of contracting Ebola are extremely low.

The virus is spread mainly in the current prevalent areas where the lifestyle is far different from ours. There is no known source of infection outside of affected areas in Africa. In our country, and most countries with more stringent rules concerning food production and sanitation, our pets should be protected as well as we are from this type of catastrophic disease.

I hope this gives you more information about the Ebola Virus in Dogs.

[cali]

4. ebola definitely is cross-species. fruit bats are known carriers

so are dogs. they're asymptomatic but carriers.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050608065550.htm

[abakan]

5. Yes thanks

I edited my response to reflect my wrongness....

[kestrel91316]

15. There is no chronic carrier state in dogs, just to be clear. They are suspected of shedding virus

transiently early on in the infection which they then clear from their body without becoming ill.

Definitely a zoonotic hazard. I wonder what role it might be playing in West Africa's epidemic.

[tblue37]

20. They should just quarantine the poor pup, not kill her. nt

[kestrel91316]

22. And make some poor kennel person or veterinarian provide for her care?????

Sometimes you just have to play it safe. They have NO IDEA how long dogs can remain contagious and under what circumstances.

[KamaAina]

12. "Dogs do not die from Ebola infections."

Why is that? That could be an important clue.

[kestrel91316]

16. Because they are dogs and not primates. Most viruses are fairly species specific.

Tobacco mosaic virus, for instance, can't affect animals because they are animals.

[KamaAina]

17. I was wondering if there might be something in dogs' immune systems

that fights Ebola and could be injected into people.

[kestrel91316]

21. I doubt it. They just aren't similar enough metabolically, probably lack teh right receptor sites

or enzymes in cells for successful virus replication.

[uppityperson]

6. Now she is a " nursing assistant"?

[B2G]

8. Yes. They've been reporting that all day. nt

[GeorgeGist]

7. What is Find-tuning?

Loosy editing?

[lpbk2713]

9. It looks to me like hysteria is becoming a side effect of ebola.

Several things in the news suggest it.

[jwirr]

10. This reminded me of a history of the Black Plague that I read. They blamed cats and before it was

even half over they had hunted and killed most of the cats - which might have killed the rats. Just had do say that - I have heard that it was not the fleas on the rats that caused it either.

[kestrel91316]

18. Well fleas don't cause plague. They do spread the bacterium and that is indisputable.

Of course the damned thing can also spread through the air if it gets into the lungs.

[jwirr]

19. Thanks I had forgotten just what actually did spread it.

[Yo_Mama]

11. Fox News wins again.

I feel sorry for the dog, but it's an unjustifiable risk to human life to just "wait and see".