What makes China so special...

[Dari]

...that it's capable of being the home to the deadliest viruses ever mutated? What are the conditions over there like for new viruses to pop up every now and then? Is this, as some have suggested, nature's "correction" of the population issue in that region? Is it because of the natives' diet? Is it the proximity of man and beast? What is it?

Any papers written on this?

 

[konichiwa]

More than likely, "proximity of man and beast." Many of the viruses we've seen lately that have emerged from Asia are mutated pig, sometimes duck viruses that "jump" (per se) to humans. Pigs and other animals are affected by many of the same types of viruses that humans are, and so the pathogens can infect us as well as them.

 

[LunarRay]

7800000000000000000000000000089 Chinese.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: konichiwa
More than likely, "proximity of man and beast." Many of the viruses we've seen lately that have emerged from Asia are mutated pig, sometimes duck viruses that "jump" (per se) to humans. Pigs and other animals are affected by many of the same types of viruses that humans are, and so the pathogens can infect us as well as them.

but other human beings live in close proximity of animals but don't create such exotic diseases? How come viruses from cats and dogs don't mutate as readily as those living with the chinese?

 

[konichiwa]

Because cat and dog viruses can't infect humans, whereas swine viruses often can.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Dari

Originally posted by: konichiwa
More than likely, "proximity of man and beast." Many of the viruses we've seen lately that have emerged from Asia are mutated pig, sometimes duck viruses that "jump" (per se) to humans. Pigs and other animals are affected by many of the same types of viruses that humans are, and so the pathogens can infect us as well as them.

but other human beings live in close proximity of animals but don't create such exotic diseases? How come viruses from cats and dogs don't mutate as readily as those living with the chinese?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the prevailing theory about HIV that it came from monkeys in africa?

 

[Regs]

Well you have a huge population density mixed in with animals and bad sanitation habits. So any virus that pops up will spread like wild fire and will not simply die a lonely death.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: MartyTheManiak

Originally posted by: Dari

Originally posted by: konichiwa
More than likely, "proximity of man and beast." Many of the viruses we've seen lately that have emerged from Asia are mutated pig, sometimes duck viruses that "jump" (per se) to humans. Pigs and other animals are affected by many of the same types of viruses that humans are, and so the pathogens can infect us as well as them.

but other human beings live in close proximity of animals but don't create such exotic diseases? How come viruses from cats and dogs don't mutate as readily as those living with the chinese?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the prevailing theory about HIV that it came from monkeys in africa?

hiv may have come from africa, but I bet the chinese would've introduced this sucker to the world if given the chance.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: Dari
...that it's capable of being the home to the deadliest viruses ever mutated? What are the conditions over there like for new viruses to pop up every now and then? Is this, as some have suggested, nature's "correction" of the population issue in that region? Is it because of the natives' diet? Is it the proximity of man and beast? What is it?

Any papers written on this?

you sound jeolous.

You sleep with the food you eat and tell me if you don't get sick. I Read a book on hemorrhagic fever that came from rat droppings and urine on rice that they ate

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: Regs
Well you have a huge population density mixed in with animals and bad sanitation habits. So any virus that pops up will spread like wild fire and will not simply die a lonely death.

Yup. Seen a recent CBC news report from Beijing showing a marketplace. There were cages of various live wild and domesticated animals stacked ontop of each other. Some of the animals were even sick, one fawn was on an IV drip for it refused to eat. I think tradition has a lot to do with this situation, but the lack of affordable refrigiration probably is a big factor in this method of providing fresh food as well. A lot of the first cases of SARS were restaurant cooks who were being supplied animals from these markets.

 

[IamDavid]

Does it come up with the most "exotic" viruses? I don't think so.. HIV, Ebola came from Africa. Anyway, China has 1/6 of the world population so of course they will get more. Kinda surprised India hasn't had any weird ones.

 

[Vic]

~1.3 billion people.

 

[glugglug]

Like the posters above said, crowded area with livestock in the markets, often poor sanitary conditions.
Hot & humid climate is a big factor also.

 

[Tripleshot]

What makes China so special...>>>>>>>..................... Rice, lots and lots of RICE!


Yummers

 

[0roo0roo]

mad cow/hiv... blah blah

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: Dari
...that it's capable of being the home to the deadliest viruses ever mutated? What are the conditions over there like for new viruses to pop up every now and then? Is this, as some have suggested, nature's "correction" of the population issue in that region? Is it because of the natives' diet? Is it the proximity of man and beast? What is it?

Any papers written on this?

It's real simple. China is not a clean country. They eat dogs, cats, rats, monkeys, snakes etc...
Do you expect anything positive to come out of this? I don't.

 

[Dari]

Originally posted by: IamDavid
Does it come up with the most "exotic" viruses? I don't think so.. HIV, Ebola came from Africa. Anyway, China has 1/6 of the world population so of course they will get more. Kinda surprised India hasn't had any weird ones.

with the exceptions of HIV-1 (40 million infected) and HIV-2 (1 million infected), most viruses coming from the african continent have been natural, not mutated exotic viruses that the chinese seem to specialize in. Besides, ebola kills over 90% of its hosts in a matter of days, hence it is not as dangerous (because of its short incubation time) as the chinese viruses.