The Most

[VigilVirus]

Viruses can be treated through the use of the antiserums or the antivirus. It is basically a chemical formula made specifically to destroy the proteins that make up the coats of the viruses.

[Terror]

ah k, i do know that virusses can be fought with cures, but i always thought that only bacteria could infect people from over a distance.

[Dante]

I did some minor research into Filoviruses some time ago... can't remember much now of course. But I believe you have also made a detailed study, Belziel?

Specifically I looked at Ebola Zaire, Resdon and Marbug (not ebola). Ebola Sudan I didn't have time for and the others I have forgotton the names of. Very interesting... I seem to remember that it can be spread over short distances but it's not even safe to be able to see the infected person. That's not to say that you will definately catch it if you do, but that's about the distance you should keep. So I am told.

It is also possible to live after catching Ebola (even if another vistim vomits on your face! And ebola-victim vomit is very different from the normal kind!) although next to impossible and due entirely to luck.

I also looked into the syptoms and effects but I don' think you want to hear that...

[VigilVirus]

Yes, I have written a school research papaer on the study of the effects of different strains of Ebola and possibilities for a cure.

Ebola-Zaire has an 88% lethality rate. Reston however has been found not to affect humans, only monkeys due to a different composition in its protein coat which have led scientists to the essence of the disease's deadliness - a series of 7 glycoprotein, VP40 being the main one.

The general symptoms of Ebola start with regular flu symptoms and redness of the face, followed by internal/external bleeding, bloody diarrhea, vomit. Blood also seeps out of eyes, nose and ears, not a very pleasant sight to see.

[emprworm]

not a very pleasant sight to see

even worse if you are the one suffering from it. people who have recovered describe it as so horrible they longed for death

[GhostHunter]

The fact it always kills has not been proven, for example a guy has had AIDS for 21 years.....And he has not shown any weakness so far, docters say he wont die because of it...

[TMA_1]

good gravy. melaria and the flu are the most dangerous. They both have killed more people than all of the wars of the world combined.

[thomas]

k heres onw most commonly read book the bible second lord of hte rings :D ;)

[VigilVirus]

good gravy. melaria and the flu are the most dangerous. They both have killed more people than all of the wars of the world combined.

If you go by the number of kills by an infectious disease it would go in this order:

1. Bubonic plague - far ahead of every other disease

2. Influenza - killed more than 10 million people in the largest epidemic since the plague in 1917-1918.

3. Tropical fevers

[rigel6669]

I saw a report recently on the national geographic channel about "the most dangerous disease".

Hepatitis is the most dangerous for the moment as it has evolved and untill now they did not find any cure for it yet.

[slaphapy]

This was inspired by Empr's thread about the most lethal substance on the face of this earth. I am just curious if any of you guys know the number one of anything out there. Like the number one most venumous snake

well for number one most venomous snake..... every biologist has their own list on things like that.. they are all basically the same yet different

the most poisonous snakes are sea snakes (they have to be so their prey can't swim away)

but for land snakes... that's a whole other story it depends on whether u measure on how fast they kill or how they kill or how agressive they are... or many other factors.

i know one thing about snakes... does anyone know the snake with the largest fangs?

it's the gaboon viper... they have fangs up to 3 INCHES!!!

[slaphapy]

it takes about 3 days to die of ebola.

If an african village got ebola, you could just kiss it goodbye because the disease is highly contigius.

well as for the time it takes to die, it depends on what type of ebola u have... there are 3 main types of ebola .... ebola zaire, ebola sudan, and ebola reston.

zaire has a 90 % fatality rate

sudan has a 50 % fatality rate

and in humans reston has a 0 % fatality rate. (only replicates in monkeys)

and ebola isn't necesarily highly contagious it is about as contagious as aids... it is transmited through blood

it spread throughout africa because people in africa did not know what it was and burried the dead and in the process got infected blood on themselves.

there is another virus which is called marburg and is in the same family as ebola (filoviruses)

it is i think about 50 % fatal.

ebola was originally thought to be marburg in the way that it acted.. because they are in the same family.

as well as they originally thought marburg should go along with the rabies family because all the viruses (ebola, marburg) attack the brain like rabies does.

[slaphapy]

If it's a virus, then they can't use medicines against it, can they?

How come they happen to have medicines? (or do they?)

there are no medicines for viruses... only vaccines

what vaccines do is they have some kind of "injured" virus that such as a dead virus or a virus that has it's DNA or RNA removed and they put that in your body and your body reacts as though it was real (why u get sick) and makes anti-bodies for that particular virus. they do this so that if u catch the actual thing u will still have anti-bodies in your system so that the virus can't last as long and possibly it will save your life.

[Acriku]

Antibiotics work only on living things, viruses aren't living, just a bundle of DNA or RNA. And slaphapy did a good job explaining vaccines. I just did a "virus" newspaper - http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/ATG/data/released/0302-KathyParis/ so I am familiar with viruses myself :D

[slaphapy]

Deadliest Spider: Tree-dwelling Funnel Web.

i hate to say it empr but your wrong..... believe it or not .. the "daddy long legs" is the deadliest spider in the world... it does not have fangs that are big enough to bite anything though... pity for the poor little thing.... but if u dont' count that then yes the australian funnel web is the deadliest spider in the world, also the most agressive (can bite several times, each time injecting enough venom to kill u easily)

the most venomous animal in the world is the poison dart frog ... it actual produces a poison but if u think about how the natives use it.. they rub a needle along the frogs skin to gather up the toxins ... then they kill their prey with it which makes it a venom.

[Acriku]

So the longlegs I just smashed a few hours ago might've killed me?! I thought they were passive critters?

[slaphapy]

no, they have no fangs that can pierce your skin.

[Acriku]

So what makes em deadly?

[slaphapy]

whoops i guess i should have said most venomous..

if they could bite people they would be the most deadly i guess... that is if they weren't so non-agressive.

[Andrew]

ok, what if i ate a dandy long legs spider? would i die?

[Acriku]

I think it would have to enter your bloodstream to do anything, and if you have an ulcer it might do some damage if it is effective in small amounts.

[rigel6669]

It depends if you eat it alive or not ;D

[Terror]

I saw a report recently on the national geographic channel about "the most dangerous disease".

Hepatitis is the most dangerous for the moment as it has evolved and untill now they did not find any cure for it yet.

yes that's HIV, aka AIDS. At least, i believe hepatitis B was AIDS.

[VigilVirus]

It is known that AIDS usually "carries"/allows to develop some rare diseases with it. That includes rare types of cancer and the rare from of Hepatitus - Hepatitus C.

[rigel6669]

i believe hepatitis B was AIDS.

Hepatitis is not aids.

Hepatitis evolved to a new untreatable form and is spreading real fast all over the world. Even in the USA there were several people who have died of it...