UK nurse back in Sierra Leone after Ebola recovery

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

LONDON (AP) — A British nurse who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone has returned to the country after treatment in London.

Medical group King's Health Partners says William Pooley is due to start work Monday at an Ebola isolation unit it runs in Freetown.

Pooley was flown back to Britain in August and treated in an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital, where he received the experimental drug ZMapp.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20141019/eu--britain-ebola-a3e69ca373.html

[uppityperson]

1. Wow, good for him. He is something.

Edited to change gender because I didn't even notice the name.

[Cobalt Violet]

4. It's a he not a she.

But yeah he is something.

[scarletwoman]

2. Do they know for sure that once a person has had Ebola and recovered, that they're totally immune?

I'm under the impression that this is thought to be the case, I'm just wondering if this is a proven medical fact.

And bravo to William Pooley for volunteering to return!

[countryjake]

10. They've warned him that he might still face a risk...

Will Pooley told he may not be immune to Ebola as he returns to Sierra Leone
British nurse who survived virus after being airlifted to UK said it was an ‘easy decision’ to go back to help contain outbreak

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/19/will-pooley-ebola-returns-to-sierra-leone

~snip~

The British nurse who survived Ebola has flown back to Sierra Leone expressing fears that the world will return to indifference about the plight of Africans when the crisis abates...

~snip~

He said he “can’t see anything changing” in attitudes towards Africa, where diseases such as malaria have already killed 70 times more people than Ebola this year.

The Suffolk-born nurse said it had been an easy decision to return despite the worries of his family and friends. He has said he cannot stand “idly by” and watch more die. “I chose to go before and it was the right thing to do then and it’s still the right thing to do now.”

Although it is widely assumed that a person cannot contract Ebola twice, this is not scientifically proven and Pooley has been warned that he still faces a risk. “They have told me I very likely have immunity, at least for the near future, to this strain of Ebola. I have also been told it’s a possibility that I don’t, so I will just have to act as if I don’t,” he told the Guardian.

[scarletwoman]

11. Thank you, that's exactly what I was wondering about - it's an assumption, not a "scientifically

proven" fact.

I'm glad to see this: "...so I will just have to act as if I don’t,” he told the Guardian.

Even if he has just partial immunity, as long as he takes the necessary precautions, he will hopefully be at low risk.

Thanks again!

[countryjake]

15. Did you see him in that Nova show that I posted below?

I can't remember if it was on that program or in another interview that I've seen done with Will Pooley on the BBC, but I heard him tell how during his transportation back to the UK, he was struck with an incredible case of the shakes.

He said he'd already gotten a bad fever, and then he gave a sheepish sort of grin and said that he didn't know whether the trembling was from Ebola or because he was simply scared half to death.

I think we can rest assured that he'll be extra careful when he begins his work again in Sierra Leone, after what he's already been thru.

And I agree with you...Bravo to this dedicated young man for returning to the front lines of the epidemic.

[kestrel91316]

14. The immune system has "memory". It literally never "forgets"

an antigen it has previously reacted to. Immunity may decline over time as antibodies leave the bloodstream, but the cells that hold the memory of the antigen are always there, ready to produce protective antibodies to that specific antigen once again on a moment's notice.

If he is exposed again, as he likely will be, it will be like getting a booster immunization. My guess is that he wouldn't get deathly ill but only suffer a moderate case, if he got sick at all.

I am basing this on what I know about immunology and virology in general. Ebola isn't a special exception to this rule as far as we know.

[bluestateguy]

3. She's also a valuable resource because now she has immunity

nt

[scarletwoman]

5. "He" - William Pooley. nt

[Cobalt Violet]

6. I hope his immunity is long lasting. nt

[Brother Buzz]

21. Until the Ebola virus morphs, yet once again

His immunity is a plus, but she needs to follow all the safety procedures everyone else uses.

[dembotoz]

7. lots guts- wish i had as much

[Number23]

8. A hero. In every sense

[countryjake]

9. He's the one who was in this Nova PBS documentary on Surviving Ebola...

[deurbano]

12. I will watch that later. Thanks for sharing.

[countryjake]

16. I thought that it was well worth the watch.

It gives a brief history of the beginnings of Ebola back in 1976 (or when the scientific community first identified what the virus is capable of) and it tells of other outbreaks that Africa has experienced, then speaks with scientists and doctors from all over the world who have been studying and searching for an effective Ebola treatment or vaccine, including Dr. Peter Piot, who has led the world with his AIDS research and is also the one who began Ebola research during that original outbreak in Zaire 38 years ago. It's a very interesting program.

[Marrah_G]

20. Dr Piot has an amazing life story

He has a book called "No time to Lose" it was really great.

[deurbano]

22. It IS interesting, inspiring... and hopeful!

ZMapp seems much more promising than I realized. Hopefully, some massive funding will be forthcoming to ramp up production so Africans can benefit.

[samsingh]

13. there are some really good people in the world

contrast this act of greatness against the crap most repugs do all their miserable and wretched lives.

[JI7]

17. such a good person

[heaven05]

18. did he recover through

a natural immune response or did he have a drug(s) treatment that helped him beat this disease? Okay it was zmapp. Is there more? If not, why?

[Marrah_G]

19. Zmapp takes a long time to make

It is created in a tobacco plant so the vaccine has to actually grow. The reason there isn't more if because they did not even know if it worked yet. Ebola outbreaks are rare so opportunities for human trials are also rare. They tried the samples they had. At first glance it seems promising, so they are making more. But again, it takes time.

[elias49]

23. This noble man must be a bachelor.

I mean, seriously...this is above and beyond. He clearly feels he has a mission.