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Coronavirus Outbreak Raises Question: Why Are Bat Viruses So Deadly?

02/14/2020 11:24 AM

A lot of the most deadly viruses come from bats, through an intermediary. The viruses have been made stronger by the bat's extremely strong immune system.

"A study of cultured bat cells shows that their strong immune responses, constantly primed to respond to viruses, can drive viruses to greater virulence. Modelling bat immune systems on a computer, the researchers showed that when bat cells quickly release interferon upon infection, other cells quickly wall themselves off. This drives viruses to faster reproduction. The increased virulence and infectivity wreak havoc when these viruses infect animals with tamer immune systems, like humans."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200210144854.htm

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#1

Re: Coronavirus outbreak raises question: Why are bat viruses so deadly?

02/14/2020 12:32 PM

This is made to sound like the virus is alive and purposeful...that is not the case, a virus, unlike a bacterium, is not alive....the immune system in this case merely acts as a screen, screening out the less virulent strains...

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#2
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Re: Coronavirus outbreak raises question: Why are bat viruses so deadly?

02/14/2020 1:14 PM

A virus is on the borderline of alive and not-alive. And I agree, it has no intentions, it just mutates and the fittest mutations survive. The bat's immune system provides the pressure to kill off the less fit, the same way our widespread use of antibiotics has killed off the less fit bacteria to make room for the antibiotic-resistant forms.

https://www.sciencealert.com/are-viruses-alive

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#3
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Re: Coronavirus outbreak raises question: Why are bat viruses so deadly?

02/14/2020 1:47 PM

A virus is like a ghost, it only poses a threat when it's evil and possesses some living creature....

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#4

Re: Coronavirus Outbreak Raises Question: Why Are Bat Viruses So Deadly?

02/14/2020 2:05 PM

Bats don't wash their hands. Never shake hands with a bat.

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#5
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Re: Coronavirus Outbreak Raises Question: Why Are Bat Viruses So Deadly?

02/14/2020 2:46 PM

Be the life of the party with wind-up corona bats.....

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#6

Re: Coronavirus Outbreak Raises Question: Why Are Bat Viruses So Deadly?

02/16/2020 7:36 AM

Very interesting!!

There is a virus that was prevalent in Aus a few years back. Source was bat with an intermediary host in horses getting "flu like symptoms". We lost a few good vets and trainers who were treating those animals. Called "Hendra" virus, though there is now a vaccine (for horses) and vets take more precautionary methods.

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#7

Re: Coronavirus Outbreak Raises Question: Why Are Bat Viruses So Deadly?

02/18/2020 11:34 AM

It is interesting, but still not anything to worry about. According to our own CDC we have over 2000 deaths this season from the flu and its season is not over yet.

Yep, just the good old flu.

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#8
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Re: Coronavirus Outbreak Raises Question: Why Are Bat Viruses So Deadly?

02/18/2020 5:44 PM

Look at the percentages, 2000 flu deaths out of 20 million cases, now look at the percentage of deaths from Corona virus infections....73,000 cases with 1875 deaths, nearly as many deaths as the flu with less than 1/2 percent the number of infections....now you get it...?

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