Liberian Doctor Uses HIV Drug to Treat Ebola Cases
After diving into medical journals for some inspiration, the doctor noticed a degree of similarity between the Ebola virus and the human immunodeficiency virus, starting with the fact that both are RNA (Ribonucleic acid) viruses, meaning their genetic information is stored in RNA instead of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) as do many other viruses, microorganisms and higher creatures.
It was after this that the doctor decided to try and see whether acyclovir could work against Ebola. Acyclovir is a nucleoside analog inhibitor, which means that its active form attaches itself to a developing RNA or DNA strand and interrupts this critical process, thereby slowly eliminating the virus, by preventing it from making copies of itself.
But for some reason, acyclovir was ineffective, and the doctor tried yet another nucleoside analog inhibitor, lamivudine.
According to Dr. Logan, Lamivudine has proven itself to be very effective indeed; it has so far been used on 15 Ebola patients, and 13 of these made a complete recovery in a matter of days. These patients were put on lamivudine utmost four days after exhibiting Ebola symptoms, and were fully recovered in 3-5 days.
The two patients who did not make it were put on lamivudine on the fifth and eight day after first showing symptoms, and the doctor believes this delay may have had a hand in their fate.
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link to streamafrica.com]
One does not have to look far to find lamivudine would be extremely dangerous to give to Ebola patients.
WARNING: Lamivudine can cause serious, life-threatening side effects. These include lactic acidosis (buildup of lactic acid in the blood), severe liver problems!Okay, so this story got splashed all over the news and everybody now knows about it and many have grasped hold of the idea that Lamivudine is a prize treatment.
But is it? The liver is seriously effected by Ebola and you give a drug which attacks the liver?
Was this story really disinformation? Was it designed to put you off trying the safe, and usually highly effective drug, Acyclovir?
My money is on that.
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