₦airaland Forum

Looks like a physics teacher.

Well it seems the serum was flown to Liberia after all.

There is a cure for Ebola, we have it, we just don’t let anyone use it., by Greg Laden



Three vials containing an experimental drug
stored at subzero temperatures were flown into Liberia last week in a last-ditch effort to save two American missionary workers who had contracted Ebola, according to a source familiar with details of the treatment.
The drug appears to have worked, sources say.


Dr. Kent Brantly’s and Nancy Writebol’s
conditions significantly improved after receiving the medication, sources say. Brantly was able to walk into Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after being evacuated to the United States last week, and Writebol is expected to arrive in Atlanta on Tuesday

.
On July 22, Brantly woke up feeling feverish.
Fearing the worst, Brantly immediately isolated himself. Writebol’s symptoms started three days later. A rapid field blood test confirmed the infection in both of them after they had become ill with fever, vomiting and diarrhea.

It’s believed both Brantly and Writebol, who
worked with the aid organization Samaritan’s
Purse, contracted Ebola from another health
care worker at their hospital in Liberia, although the official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention case investigation has yet to bereleased.

A representative from the National Institutes of
Health contacted Samaritan’s Purse in Liberia
and offered the experimental treatment, known as ZMapp, for the two patients, according to the source.

The drug was developed by the biotech firm
Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., which is based in San Diego. The patients were told that this
treatment had never been tried before in a
human being but had shown promise in small
experiments with monkeys.

According to company documents, four
monkeys infected with Ebola survived after
being given the therapy within 24 hours after
infection. Two of four other monkeys that
started therapy within 48 hours after infection
also survived. One monkey that was not treateddied within five days of exposure to the virus.

Brantly and Writebol were aware of the risk of
taking a new, little understood treatment and
gave informed consent, according to two
sources familiar with the care of the missionary workers.

In the monkeys, the experimental
serum had been given within 48 hours of
infection. Brantly didn’t receive it until he’d
been sick for nine days.

The medicine is a three-mouse monoclonal
antibody, meaning that mice were exposed to
fragments of the Ebola virus and then the
antibodies generated within the mice’s blood
were harvested to create the medicine. It works by preventing the virus from entering and infecting new cells.


The Ebola virus causes viral hemorrhagic fever,which refers to a group of viruses that affectmultiple organ systems in the body and are often accompanied by bleeding.
Early symptoms include sudden onset of fever,
weakness, muscle pain, headaches and a sore
throat.

They later progress to vomiting,
diarrhea, impaired kidney and liver function —
and sometimes internal and external bleeding.
The ZMapp vials reached the hospital in Liberia
where Brantly and Writebol were being treated
Thursday morning.

Doctors were instructed to
allow the serum to thaw naturally without any
additional heat. It was expected that it would beeight to 10 hours before the medicine could begiven, according to a source familiar with the process.


Brantly asked that Writebol be given the first
dose because he was younger and he thought
he had a better chance of fighting it, and she
agreed. However, as the first vial was still
thawing, Brantly’s condition took a sudden turn for the worse.


Brantly began to deteriorate and developed
labored breathing. He told his doctors he
thought he was dying, according to a source
with firsthand knowledge of the situation.
Knowing his dose was still frozen, Brantly asked

if he could have Writebol’s now-thawed
medication. It was brought to his room and
administered through an IV. Within an hour of
receiving the medication, Brantly’s condition
dramatically improved. He began breathing
easier; the rash over his trunk faded away.


One of his doctors described the events as
“miraculous.” By the next morning, Brantly was able to take a shower on his own before getting on a specially designed Gulfstream air ambulance jet to be
evacuated to the United States.
Writebol also received a vial of the medication.
Her response was not as remarkable, according to sources familiar with the treatment.

However,
doctors on Sunday administered Writebol a
second dose of the medication, which resulted
in significant improvement.
She was stable enough to be evacuated back to
the United States and is expected to arrive
before noon Tuesday.


The process by which the medication was madeavailable to Brantly and Writebol is highly
unusual. ZMapp has not been approved for
human use, and has not even gone through theclinical trial process, which is standard to prove the safety and efficacy of a medication.

It may have been given under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s “compassionate use” regulation, which allows access to
investigational drugs outside clinical trials.

Somebody is about to cash-in big with this secret serum but not until the virus has done a good job of reducing the population on the west africa coast.

mstik: odourless
what is fufu without its "odour"

Good point.

danot1030: this is one of the reason the leadership of this country is tag a slowpoke, one shuld have expected him to take a drastic measure against Liberia or even cut off ties wit them as a way of showing his displeasure but for where.

America sent him, not Liberia.

The hospital in Obalende is on lock down with some people inside..I wonder if they are part of the quarantined staff.

Also, a lot of spraying going on in a hotel in my area with people in white jump suits and vehicle labelled 'Ambulance'. I refuse to scared.

Serena' feet r not ugly.

Iman and Paris ?...uuughh.

Ebola is primarily a "Fear" virus, its doing a good job.

You've never been to Shaw rd..NDLEA hq.

DRealGeesam: This is a very good move. This way no stone is left unturned. Some leaders still get brain sha.

Its not about brain. These are standard public health protocols already set down to deal with deadly infections like this one. The problem with most state govts is they either don't care to know or know but bother to implement these policies.

For example what steps have the Anambra state govt taken since an allegedly infected corpse was brought into the state ?

Nigeria's best ever president, I wish something will end in a few months...let me just stop there.

Op use simultaneous equations next time.

s3nn2x: I heard the same thing this morning. Someone called me and told me that someone told him that he heard the president had passed on. I don't know how true it is ooo. But I have not heard any confirmation. There is no sign that anything of that nature happened here in Abuja sha

Not possible... Plain mischief.

Garcinia alkaloids do posses antiviral properties. I can testify to that.
Prof Iwu is on to something, that's for sure.
Past embezzlement has made him fold up his company to avoid prosecution.
He'd rather enjoy the loot than do the hard work.

Typical case of money entering "voicemail."

Poor and Aid-dependent African countries are only wasting their time making anti-gay laws.
Nigeria would soon follow suit, but for different reasons..

Well Lagbaja, after that careless rant, are you surprised ?

*

Days ago LASG health commissioner said they were trying to track down 30,000 suspected contacts. If we extrapolate that figure should have risen to over 200,000 today.

Its not just hand washing, what about sweaty cramped danfo and molue buses. What about sneezing in crowded spaces ? What about the messy markets ? What about your driver who lives in Obalaende ? Your cook who lives in mafoluku. Your wife who is nurse ? Your girlfriend who works with customs ?

Mehn...its scary if you ask me

coolzeal: Monkeys or primates have being existing for millennium and no deadly virus outbreak. Sometimes, I wonder if Ebola virus is another research gone wrong or perhaps We are use for scientific experiment. You have to be careful of what you believe.

Not all Red cross drs are on the same mission. That's something for the conspiracy theorist to think about.

#

J3da: I have a feeling this isn't the whole truth... Please people be alert and careful cos our Leaders are careless. Prevention is better than cure ooo

A word is enough for the wise.

I'm particularly worried about transmission via infected currency (dirty Naira), I think its time I went cashless for a while. Plastic all d way !

Wow ! This could be the next urban fashion craze. If we can sexy it up and add some more detail to this apparel we just might have a winner !

Imagine hundreds/thousands of naija babes rocking my Lara Croft-styled tomb raider-like suicide vests, complete with faux grenades and C4 packs.

Lemme call my contacts in Paris and Hongkong...

When I remember that lassa fever outbreak, I know that Nigerian doctors will die in dozens if they're called to confront ebola.

The health system here is just not safe enough. I'm sure the doctors know this too.

Kevsman: hi guys, dont you think its time Nigeria bring back her troops from these Ebola virus infected countries?

What are the chances that these troops are already affected ?
And what facilities do we have on ground to quarantine entire barracks and military formations, should in case an outbreak start after their arrival ?

Hourglass4real: Sad... May he rest in peace. The man had the mind to go online to "post" after loosing a son this very morning in an accident,wasn't he suppose 2 be mourning and in unimaginable pain?

This is the 3rd child to go to soon.

I hope he isn't getting used to it.

Marriage is an over rated human institution. Most married ppl hate on the single and free not because they're happy but because they envy your non-conformist attitude.

Its really nice to be married...to the right person. But what are the chances of that in a world where ppl are so malcontent and change is so constant ?

This type of beauty aint for the fainthearted..

ahkenaten: do you think nairalanders are stupid/ mr man..yhu just renamed that contact nii..chei..you are very...desperate to make a stupid point o..it remains a joke and nothing more...

I was gonna say naija girls have hit rock bottom...it better be a joke.

Link to source ?