I've always wondered why the most deadly diseases usually have a not-too-efficient means of transmissal. Imagine ebola being air-borne, cancer being transmitted by body contact or AIDS being air-borne.
What do you think the situation would be like if these diseases suddenly mutate to include the above means of transmissal.
2006-08-31 10:25:30 · 8 answers · asked by topgun 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
Aids mutates at a very high rate, that's why there are several drugs to treat HIV and new ones are being developed. The deal is AIDS can't survive in the air, a drop of blood hits the air the AIDS is already dead. Unlike Hepatitis that can survive for weeks.
HIV is now a chronic condition the life expectancy from initial infection is 10 years
2006-08-31 10:31:46 · answer #1 · answered by researchtissue 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, Ebola is in an effect airborne - it has been demonstrated to be transmitted via aerosolized droplets in the lab, although it is usually transmitted through direct contact with infected blood (not hard, given it causes hemorrhaging!).
Deadly diseases that are easily transmitted quickly burn themselves out - in that they quickly deplete (re: kill) their own host organism, and thus die out. So it makes more evolutionary sense for a deadly virus to: a)cause a smoldering infection like TB, HPV (those that cause cervical cancer), or HIV and to b)be a little more difficult to contract. It seems like that increases the likelihood of the viral genome's survival. Just a thought.
2006-08-31 10:39:34 · answer #2 · answered by Wondering 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If AIDS were airborne,
* It would have spread to many, many more people than the tens of millions already infected;
* It would be a much higher research priority than it currently is;
* It would have taken many more lives than the millions it has already, if the airborne form were as lethal;
* and the stigma and ignorance of some people about AIDS patients would be gone, since now no one "deserves" AIDS.
Of these, I only want to see #2 and #4.
2006-08-31 10:32:15 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cancver is non-transmmitable. However, if AIDS is airborne..then we have to atke the necessary precaution.Wear biological mask and suits. I'm just so glad it is not. God bless!
2006-08-31 19:01:13 · answer #4 · answered by justurangel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wear a condom mask over my nostrils and skin pores to be protected, or wear an ergonomic latex suit.
2006-08-31 10:31:56 · answer #5 · answered by Apollo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
scary thought...we'd probably all be dead, or the virus would've weakened (not sure, i am not a doctor) so it wouldn't be deadly
2006-08-31 10:31:53 · answer #6 · answered by L 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is was airborne all of us would have been doomed already.
2006-08-31 11:57:13 · answer #7 · answered by Art The Wise 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
who says its not dont give anyone big ideas
2006-08-31 10:30:38 · answer #8 · answered by mike L 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋