revision
05-31-2009, 04:12 PM
New virus found in Africa
Sun, 31 May 2009 15:09:15 GMT
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=96597§ionid=3510210
Scientists have identified a deadly virus responsible for severe Ebola-like bleeding virus and for the death of four of the five Africans who contracted the virus.
The Lujo virus that infected five individuals in Zambia and South Africa last September and October was given the name after Lusaka, Zambia, and Johannesburg, South Africa, the cities where it originated.
The outbreak started in September, when a female travel agent in Lusaka Zambia, became ill with a fever-like illness and died.
A paramedic in Lusaka as well as three other health workers in Johannesburg exposed to the first case soon became sick and died with similar symptoms.
The fifth victim, a nurse at Morningside Clinic, Johannesburg, however, survived after being treated with ribavirin, the antiviral drug usually prescribed for another hemorrhagic virus known as Lassa fever.
According to a study published in PLoS Pathogens, the patients had symptoms similar to Ebola, including bleeding gums and bleeding around injection sites.
Fever, shock, coma and organ failure were the other symptoms commonly reported among the affected cases.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officials reported that the samples taken from the blood and liver of the infected individuals revealed the virus as a member of the arena virus family, distantly related to Lassa fever.
The so-called "Lujo" virus is believed to spread through contact with infected body fluids, inhaling the dust infected with rodent excreta, or ingestion.
Sun, 31 May 2009 15:09:15 GMT
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=96597§ionid=3510210
Scientists have identified a deadly virus responsible for severe Ebola-like bleeding virus and for the death of four of the five Africans who contracted the virus.
The Lujo virus that infected five individuals in Zambia and South Africa last September and October was given the name after Lusaka, Zambia, and Johannesburg, South Africa, the cities where it originated.
The outbreak started in September, when a female travel agent in Lusaka Zambia, became ill with a fever-like illness and died.
A paramedic in Lusaka as well as three other health workers in Johannesburg exposed to the first case soon became sick and died with similar symptoms.
The fifth victim, a nurse at Morningside Clinic, Johannesburg, however, survived after being treated with ribavirin, the antiviral drug usually prescribed for another hemorrhagic virus known as Lassa fever.
According to a study published in PLoS Pathogens, the patients had symptoms similar to Ebola, including bleeding gums and bleeding around injection sites.
Fever, shock, coma and organ failure were the other symptoms commonly reported among the affected cases.
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officials reported that the samples taken from the blood and liver of the infected individuals revealed the virus as a member of the arena virus family, distantly related to Lassa fever.
The so-called "Lujo" virus is believed to spread through contact with infected body fluids, inhaling the dust infected with rodent excreta, or ingestion.