This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/09/science/ebola-dog-excalibur-nurse-spain.html
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Spain, Amid Protests, Destroys Dog of Ebola-Infected Nurse | Spain, Amid Protests, Destroys Dog of Ebola-Infected Nurse |
| (1 day later) | |
| MADRID — A dog named Excalibur who belonged to an Ebola-infected nurse was destroyed on Wednesday, even as protesters and animal rights activists surrounded the Madrid home of the nurse and her husband. An online petition calling for the dog’s life to be spared had drawn hundreds of thousands of signatures. | |
| The furor came amid questions about whether dogs can get and transmit the disease. | The furor came amid questions about whether dogs can get and transmit the disease. |
| In the United States, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Thomas Skinner, said Wednesday that studies had shown that dogs can have an immune response to Ebola, meaning that they can become infected. But he said there had been no reports of dogs or cats developing Ebola symptoms or passing the disease to other animals or to people. | In the United States, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Thomas Skinner, said Wednesday that studies had shown that dogs can have an immune response to Ebola, meaning that they can become infected. But he said there had been no reports of dogs or cats developing Ebola symptoms or passing the disease to other animals or to people. |
| The death of Excalibur, a 12-year-old rescue dog, was confirmed to reporters by Javier Rodríguez, an official from Madrid’s regional government. The body is expected to be cremated. | The death of Excalibur, a 12-year-old rescue dog, was confirmed to reporters by Javier Rodríguez, an official from Madrid’s regional government. The body is expected to be cremated. |
| The nurse’s husband had pleaded publicly with officials in Madrid to change their minds about destroying the dog. He told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that there was no indication that Excalibur had been infected with Ebola. The nurse has been identified as María Teresa Romero Ramos. | The nurse’s husband had pleaded publicly with officials in Madrid to change their minds about destroying the dog. He told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that there was no indication that Excalibur had been infected with Ebola. The nurse has been identified as María Teresa Romero Ramos. |
| The fate of the dog ignited a frenzy online. More than 390,000 people signed the petition to save his life. By comparison, about 150,000 people have signed a petition urging the Food and Drug Administration to fast-track research on a potential vaccine and treatment for Ebola. | The fate of the dog ignited a frenzy online. More than 390,000 people signed the petition to save his life. By comparison, about 150,000 people have signed a petition urging the Food and Drug Administration to fast-track research on a potential vaccine and treatment for Ebola. |
| Twitter erupted with pleas in both English and Spanish to save Excalibur’s life. Then, after Excalibur was killed, came posts using the hashtag #RIPExcalibur. Some also suggested that more attention was being focused on the dog than on Ebola’s human victims. | Twitter erupted with pleas in both English and Spanish to save Excalibur’s life. Then, after Excalibur was killed, came posts using the hashtag #RIPExcalibur. Some also suggested that more attention was being focused on the dog than on Ebola’s human victims. |
| Nearly 4,000 people in West Africa have died during the current Ebola epidemic, and global health authorities expect to see thousands more infections there. The Spanish nurse was the first person to become infected outside West Africa. | Nearly 4,000 people in West Africa have died during the current Ebola epidemic, and global health authorities expect to see thousands more infections there. The Spanish nurse was the first person to become infected outside West Africa. |
| The only case diagnosed in the United States has been that of a Liberian man who had traveled from Liberia to Dallas and died in a hospital there Wednesday. Three infected American aid workers were transferred from West Africa to American hospitals and treated successfully, and a freelance cameraman for NBC who became infected in Liberia has been transferred to a hospital in Nebraska, where he is undergoing treatment. | The only case diagnosed in the United States has been that of a Liberian man who had traveled from Liberia to Dallas and died in a hospital there Wednesday. Three infected American aid workers were transferred from West Africa to American hospitals and treated successfully, and a freelance cameraman for NBC who became infected in Liberia has been transferred to a hospital in Nebraska, where he is undergoing treatment. |
| Mr. Skinner said the disease centers were recommending that Ebola patients with dogs or cats at home “evaluate the animal’s risk of exposure,” meaning they should assess how likely it is that the animal has ingested bodily fluids like blood, vomit and feces from the patient. If the animal has been exposed, it should be monitored for 21 days, the incubation period for the disease. | Mr. Skinner said the disease centers were recommending that Ebola patients with dogs or cats at home “evaluate the animal’s risk of exposure,” meaning they should assess how likely it is that the animal has ingested bodily fluids like blood, vomit and feces from the patient. If the animal has been exposed, it should be monitored for 21 days, the incubation period for the disease. |
| Mr. Skinner said the C.D.C. was working with the American Veterinary Medical Association to study the issue and develop guidance for pets in the United States. | Mr. Skinner said the C.D.C. was working with the American Veterinary Medical Association to study the issue and develop guidance for pets in the United States. |
| In a 2005 study of dogs in Gabon done after an Ebola outbreak in 2001-02, researchers found that dogs can be infected with the virus, but that they show no symptoms. | In a 2005 study of dogs in Gabon done after an Ebola outbreak in 2001-02, researchers found that dogs can be infected with the virus, but that they show no symptoms. |
| The study, published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a C.D.C. journal, tested dogs in two villages in the heart of the Ebola outbreak, as well as dogs in a city with some human Ebola cases, dogs in distant villages and a control group of dogs in France. Of 159 dogs tested from the two villages, 40 had Ebola antibodies in their blood. This rate was significantly higher than the prevalence of antibodies found in dogs in the city with some human cases, three times higher than the dogs several hundred miles from the outbreak, and much higher than the dogs in France. Two out of 102 dogs tested in France had antibodies for Ebola. | |
| The researchers said the possibility that pet dogs could become infected and transmit the virus to humans could not be ruled out. They noted that pet dogs in Gabon, as in many parts of Africa, probably have greater access to the wild animals that are the source of Ebola infections because African dogs often scavenge for food, eating small animals and organs from carcasses of wild animals killed by hunters, some of which were sources of human Ebola cases in Gabon. | The researchers said the possibility that pet dogs could become infected and transmit the virus to humans could not be ruled out. They noted that pet dogs in Gabon, as in many parts of Africa, probably have greater access to the wild animals that are the source of Ebola infections because African dogs often scavenge for food, eating small animals and organs from carcasses of wild animals killed by hunters, some of which were sources of human Ebola cases in Gabon. |
| “We observed that some dogs ate fresh remains of Ebola virus-infected dead animals brought back to the villages, and that others licked vomit from Ebola virus-infected patients,” the researchers reported. | “We observed that some dogs ate fresh remains of Ebola virus-infected dead animals brought back to the villages, and that others licked vomit from Ebola virus-infected patients,” the researchers reported. |
| None of the dogs in the study showed symptoms, unlike wild animals. In gorillas and chimpanzees, Ebola infection is often lethal, the study said. Still, it is possible that dogs exposed to Ebola could be a potential source of human infection if people come in contact with viral particles in dog urine, feces or saliva through “licking, biting or grooming,” the study said. | None of the dogs in the study showed symptoms, unlike wild animals. In gorillas and chimpanzees, Ebola infection is often lethal, the study said. Still, it is possible that dogs exposed to Ebola could be a potential source of human infection if people come in contact with viral particles in dog urine, feces or saliva through “licking, biting or grooming,” the study said. |
| “Given the frequency of contact between humans and domestic dogs,” it said, “canine Ebola infection must be considered as a potential risk factor for human infection and virus spread.” | “Given the frequency of contact between humans and domestic dogs,” it said, “canine Ebola infection must be considered as a potential risk factor for human infection and virus spread.” |
| Still, Dr. Thomas Ksiazek, a longtime Ebola expert at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, said he was dubious that the dog in Spain needed to be destroyed. Even if Excalibur was infected, it is not known if dogs can transmit the virus to humans or other animals. | Still, Dr. Thomas Ksiazek, a longtime Ebola expert at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, said he was dubious that the dog in Spain needed to be destroyed. Even if Excalibur was infected, it is not known if dogs can transmit the virus to humans or other animals. |