When an infection enters the body, the virus or bacteria heads staight for a receptor protein to mutiply and by doing that, the disease grows and grows until damaging or killing the host. Scientist have identified which the receptor protein that the Ebola and the Marburg viruses go to, and by doing so, they have been able to understand infections better. After arduous research, they have been able to develope an antibody that binds to receptor protein,and block the infection of both viruses. this is really good because the chance of surviving the Ebola virus ranges from 50 to 10 percent. Scientists are now looking for the receptor protein to other viruses to able to prevent those diseases also in time of outbreak.
Opinion
I don't know how much time it took for researchers to make this discovery, but the work is definitly worth. The Ebola and Marburg viruses have killed thousand of people around the world, especially in third world countries. Who ever takes this antibody will be less propence, or can be completly immune to these orrible diseases. I hope that in the near future, they will be able to prevent diseases such as HIV. This will open new door and it will bring hope to whole societiees that fear this disease.
By: Daniel Pena
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