Fighting #Ebola - using tobacco leaves that is how?!

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Rizal  Philippines   | December 8, 2014

From New Science Mag

From Telesurv - producing millions of doses for Ebola patients

From North Country Publications


 From tobacco leaves to this



Vaccines to fight Ebola


I was able to watch last night the Discovery feature on Ebola.  How it spread early on and how the vaccine was discovered and produced are interesting stories.

1.  Early on Ebola was spread in a health care mission because they reused needles that were not sterilized.  They did not realize also that burying the dead hastened the spread through contact with body fluids and feces.

2.  Dr. Charles Amzhael discovered the vaccine in treating Ebola. 15 years ago.

WHO endorses use of untested drug Zmapp in fight vs Ebolavirus

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Rizal Philippines |   August 13, 2014



Repost from Time Magazine

The World Health Organization has endorsed use of Zmapp, an untested drug vs Ebolavirus.  Its ethics committee has ruled that the drug could be a potent tool in fight vs the outbreak. The entire stock of the new drug has been shipped to Liberia after its President sought the help of US govt.  The entire shipment came at no cost to Liberian govt.  Liberia has the second biggest number of casualty from the outbreak. The drug is made by Mapp BioPharmaceutical

WHO said that the drug should be administered only after the patient has been informed that the drug is untested (and therefore would be use in humans for the first time and that there could be risk) and that he consents

It may take months before the manufacturer can manufacture new batch of vaccines.  Guinea, and Nigeria therefore would not have such drug at their disposal

Some experts however say that the vaccines could not help combat the disease entirely.  A semblance of public health infrastructure is needed which may be non existent in the Ebola virus stricken West Africa

The untested drug vs Ebola virus is derived from tobacco plant; to be used in Liberia

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Rizal Philippines  | August 12, 2014

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines  |  August 12, 2014

Repost from BBC news




It was featured today at Al Jazeera and Fox News that the Zmapp drug used on two American missionaries to West Africa who were infected with Ebola is being flown to  Nigeria to help combat the disease.    This may sound unethical because the patients would be guinea pigs for the drugs.

So far the disease has killed more than a thousand (1,016) out of 1, 799 infected.

The drug is made by Mapp BioPharmaceutical based in San Diego California, has not undergone clinical testing, nor has acquired FDA blessing.  But the drug was used on the two American missionaries and has made them better.  It is made from extracts of tobacco plants from Australia and its efficacy so far has been tested to be 100% on monkeys.

The drug is known as 3 mouse monoclonal antibody/

The entire supply of Zmapp has been exhausted after this shipment.  And this came at no cost to the LIberian Govt.  The shipment came after the Liberian govt Pres  Ellen Johnson appealed to the US govt.  The role of US govt has been to put into contact Zapp and the Liberian govt.

What a great humanitarian gesture.

Two American aid workers infected with Ebola virus given experimental drug

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Rizal Philippines  August 5, 2014


Dr. Kent Brantly, 33 was infected in Liberia

Repost from Japan Times

Two American doctors working in Liberia vs ebola virus and who had been infected were flown  in to US in specially designed plane and have been confined in special  isolation unit  in Atlanta's Emory University Hospital.  The two are Dr. Nancy Writebol, 59  and Dr. Kent Brantly 33   Both are recovering .  Dr Nancy can now walk.

They are being given doses of Zmapp made by Mapp Pharmaceutical and this comes from tissues of  animals exposed to ebola.  It boost antibodies of patients suffering from Ebola infection (basic principle of vaccine

Dr Nancy was said to have been injected plasma from a  14 year old patient who recovered.  (Same thing we saw in movie outbreak)

Ebola is fearsome because there is no known cure vaccine vs the disease.  This could be the hope..





Special plane transported the Americans infected with Ebola virus.


Image of ebola virus infection