My scientific knowledge limit is at Mythbusters level. But knowing that my computer being on helps the scientific community makes me happy as I am contributing to the effort. :)

If the smart people continue programming I'll keep my computer active in assisting.

Thanks for helping with the project!
All the filoviruses (Ebola, Sudan, Marburg, Bundibugyo, Reston, Lloviu, etc.) seem to enter the same way using the same receptor. So you are correct that a drug that blocks entry could be broadly reactive against the whole family of pathogens.

For your second question, we would just need to know that a person is infected with Lassa to use an antiviral against it - they don;t necessarily need to be in an advanced stage of the disease. Now, on a practical level, many patients may not seek treatment until it's clear that this is something more serious than the fever and headache it began with. Rapid, simple diagnosis is key. We are also working with Corgenix, Tulane, Zalgen and Autoimmune to develop rapid diagnostics for these diseases. This work is through the Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium vhfc.org These tests work like pregnancy tests in that you have the answer in five minutes: two red lines it's Lassa or Ebola or whatever the test is for, one red line means it's soemething else. It works with a drop of blood from a fingerprick and does not need electricity. You can see how a fiev minute, inexpensive, no electricity, simple, field-stable diagnostic could do a lot of good in identifying cases, getting them treatment, and preventing single cases from expanding into multiple cases and an outbreak. The Ebola version of the diagnostic was approved under an emergency use authorization by the FDA in February and there are lots of them in Sierra Leone now. The Lassa version was developed before the Ebola version (because Lassa is endemic) and works the same way.

The last part of your question is that yes, we think Lassa entry can be blocked, but that would be a different drug because the Lassa surface glycoprotein is quite different form that of Ebola. It uses a different receptor. Studying the entry process of Lassa and developing therapeutic antibodies to treat Lassa infection is another goal of the consortium.

Thanks for your help with the project!
Erica

Wow, exciting! Thanks so much for the reply!

It could also be magnesium.