For some people, it was no surprise that the disease became an epidemic. Although they were still shocked when it happened, they knew it would happen sooner or later. Those confident people are scientists who study infectious diseases it was an uncontrolled small to medium truck carrying chickens, but it could also have been an eight- steel bearing twelve-wheeler. In short, they know that humanity’s next disaster will almost certainly be a virus, not some sort of plague-like bacteria, let alone a fungus that can eat away at the brain. , or a type of complex protozoa that causes. malaria. Either the things that are not available, it is a virus, and especially it should be a “new” virus, which means that this virus is not new in this world , but that it is a new discovery viruses that affect people. But since it is said not to have infected humans before, where did this “new” virus break out?
This is a good question for so-called “spillover” people. Examples of such viruses include Marburg virus, rabies virus, Lassa virus and monkeypox virus. The diseases they cause are common between humans and animals, so they are also known as zoonotic diseases. Most infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic, and the culprits are pathogens in animals. HIV-1 M group virus, this subtype of AIDS is widely distributed, originally escaped from chimpanzees, and it happened only once). There are also some pathogens that are our old friends (such as Yersinia pestis and yellow fever virus), that know us and kill each other. In addition, there are some pathogens that have just appeared, but behave violently and abnormally (such as the Ebola virus).
When a new virus appears, if we can’t find a vaccine to fight it, and people haven’t been infected with similar viruses in the past and therefore haven’t developed immunity to it, the disease will accident caused this situation to be very bad and If people are unlucky again and encounter an opportunity conducive to the spread of a new type of virus, the virus will be like a big bullet shooting through a steak Snowflake, and will be its inevitable movement.
These scientists have expected more than that a specific genome so that it evolves quickly, enabling it to move quickly and adapt to the environment of the molecular environment a stretched message, rather than a double helix structure like DNA, so it becomes more unstable. Readers do not have to worry about what RNA is, how it works, and why single-stranded RNA genomes are particularly easy to twist and change according to the environment of coronaviruses. Before 2019, most people did not know the term “coronavirus”, but in the ears of epidemiologists, this name had already given them an ominous feeling.
One scholar who feels this way is Li Yize, a sociologist and psychologist from China who is now an assistant professor at Arizona State University in Tempe. Li Yize is still a young man then, he has entered academic circles in English and French, and for convenience, he changed his name to Henry as well. He came to the United States in 2013 and followed Susan, a senior pathologist at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As a postdoctoral researcher, Weiss is an authority on coronaviruses, including the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which caused an international panic in 2003. At that time, Party Communist China had about 8,000 people infected, and 10% of the patients died. Coronaviruses studied by the Weiss lab also include MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), which was first discovered to infect humans in 2012. At that time, many cases appeared in the Arabian Peninsula, and MERS The death rate is much higher than that of SARS, with about 35% of confirmed cases dying. The coronavirus that Li Yize studied with Weiss was not only the MERS virus, but also another less severe type of coronavirus, which was a type of coronavirus that caused hepatitis in mice.
In late December 2019, Li Yize was in Philadelphia at the time He noticed a piece of news on a Chinese news website called “Yicai Business” in Shanghai being circulated among hospital staff in Wuhan at the time, and maybe it wasn’t just one hospital. This notice was said to have been issued by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. The notice warned that “patients with pneumonia of unknown origin” have been appearing in some medical centers in Wuhan. After Li Yize read the news, he immediately did what everyone does when they see interesting news – he posted the news back on social media. (Recommended reading:Memory and truth are perennial moral battlegrounds: excerpts from “Rushui Philosophy in the Diaspora”)
* Author David. David Quammen specializes in literature and nature writing. This article is taken from the author’s new book “Race Against Time: The Deadly Race between Science and Technology” (published by The Times)
2024-11-22 22:28:00
#People #pneumonia #unknown #origin #panic #Excerpt #LifeDestroying #Race #Science #Viruses #Feng #Media
Here are two Potential Answer Approaches (PAA) related questions based on the provided text:
## Interview: “Race Against Time: The Next Pandemic”
**Introduction:**
Welcome to World Today News. Today, we delve into the complexities of emerging infectious diseases, particularly viruses, with two distinguished guests. Dr. Li Yize, an expert in infectious diseases, and Professor David Quammen, acclaimed author and science writer, join us to discuss the ever-present threat of pandemics and the “race against time” between science and emerging diseases.
**Theme 1: The Predictability of Pandemics**
**Moderator:**
* Professor Quammen, your book, ”Race Against Time: The Deadly Race Between Science and Technology,” takes us through the history of pandemics and the scientific race to understand and combat them. Was the emergence of a pandemic like COVID-19 foreseeable?
**Professor Quammen:**
* *(Responds, drawing on examples from his book and historical pandemics to highlight the recurring patterns and warning signs)*
**Moderator:**
* Dr. Li Yize, you were among the first to notice early reports of the outbreak in Wuhan. Did anything alert you then to the potential scale of what was unfolding?
**Dr. Li Yize:**
* *(Shares his experience from December 2019, reflecting on the initial signs and the communication challenges faced by scientists and the public health community)*
**Theme 2: The Nature of Viruses and “Spillover” Events**
**Moderator:**
* Both of you have mentioned the role of “spillover” events in the emergence of new diseases. Professor Quammen, could you elaborate on this phenomenon and how it contributes to the risk of pandemics?
* *(Continues with examples of historical spillover events and the unique challenges posed by viruses compared to other pathogens)*
**Moderator:**
* Dr. Li Yize, given your expertise in coronaviruses, can you shed light on the specific characteristics of these viruses that make them particularly prone to causing pandemic outbreaks?
* *(Dr. Li Yize explains the biological features of coronaviruses, focusing on their RNA genome and ability to mutate quickly)*
**Theme 3: The Role of Science and Preparedness**
**Moderator:**
* We’ve discussed the potential for future pandemics and the inherent dangers posed by viruses. What lessons do you believe we can learn from past outbreaks, like SARS and MERS, to better prepare for future emergencies?
**Professor Quammen:**
* *(Highlights the importance of investing in research, public health infrastructure, and international cooperation to strengthen global pandemic preparedness)*
**Moderator:**
* Dr. Li Yize, what are the key areas where scientific research can make the most significant impact in preventing and mitigating the spread of emerging infectious diseases?
* *(Dr. Li Yize discusses the roles of vaccine development, early detection and surveillance, and antiviral treatments)*
**Concluding Remarks:**
**Moderator:**
* Thank you, Professor Quammen and Dr. Li Yize, for this insightful and important conversation. As we grapple with the ongoing challenges of emerging infectious diseases, your expertise and perspectives are invaluable in guiding the global response.
**Call to Action**
**
We’re committed to providing our readers with information and giving them the tools to understand complex global issues.
*This interview provided just a glimpse into the crucial conversation surrounding pandemic preparedness.
We encourage our readers to continue learning about infectious diseases, engage in discussions, and support efforts that strengthen our collective resilience against future health threats.*
