Brainstorming out loud about ebola. To beat this thing, we need all brains on deck.

Ebola was discovered in the 70s, almost 40 years ago. The extent of our research spans a vast amount of time. However, the only times we can study its effect on humans is when there is an outbreak, therefor the only real data can be gathered from these unfortunate events. Until this latest outbreak there were 456 deaths over 25 documented outbreaks of ebola. Most of those victims died so fast that very little meaningful data could be collected from them. The CDC is lying when they say they know all there is to know about this virus. 456 specimens over 50 years is not enough to produce demonstrative evidence of ANYTHING other than speculation.

What we do know is that filoviri of this type have been known to be airborne (Reston), but those that have been dangerous to humans have only been contracted through direct physical contact with bodily fluids from infected people (who do not always end up as patients). There are two ways a virus relies upon to survive. Either the host lives an extended amount of time to allow sufficient transmission of replica, or it mutates to allow EASIER transmission of its replica. The virus will choose one of these two routes in terms of it's mutation, most often choosing the first option. It wants to survive, just like any other organism.

With this particular strain, it has done a little of both, which is interesting. There have been posts here about the possibility that genetic material has been merged with Lassa, another hemorrhagic fever. If that is the case, the current outbreak can behave this way and still keep most of it's lethality. If it was in fact engineered, the engineers probably didn't think about its interaction with the original gangster - the Zaire strain. One thing to note about Lassa is that it IS airborne.

Anyway GLP, those are my thoughts at the moment.