Scottish nurse rushed back to London for isolation

Details at last:

BBC wrote: ...Pauline Cafferkey, 39, was readmitted to an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London earlier this month after suffering an apparent relapse. Health officials confirmed she had been diagnosed with meningitis caused by Ebola and had a "long recovery ahead". Ms Cafferkey, from South Lanarkshire, contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone. Dr Michael Jacobs, who is treating Ms Cafferkey at the Royal Free Hospital in London, said: "Pauline has become unwell by meningitis caused by the Ebola virus. "But to be very clear about this, she hasn't been re-infected with the Ebola virus. "This is the original Ebola virus that she had many months ago, which has been lying inside the brain, replicating at a very low level probably, and has now re-emerged to cause this clinical illness of meningitis. And this is obviously a serious thing." Dr Jacobs said Ms Cafferkey had "became critically ill due to neurological complications from the meningitis" while being treated at the specialist isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital. He added: "I'm really pleased to tell you that in the last few days she's made a significant improvement. She is much better now. "I think she has a long recovery ahead of her and will be with us for quite a while still."

with an analysis:-

By James Gallagher, health editor, BBC News website Unprecedented, extraordinary and unusual - the words used by doctors treating Pauline Cafferkey. Meningitis has been seen in Ebola patients in West Africa during this outbreak, but only at the height of their initial infection. This is completely different. The virus has resurged months later and has been contained to just her brain and spinal cord. Due to the lack of resources in the affected countries we simply do not know if this has happened to any of the 17,000 Ebola survivors in West Africa. The World Health Organization says meningitis should be "on the radar" for survivors, alongside eyesight problems and joint pains. While the virus was briefly detected in Ms Cafferkey's blood, the risk of anyone spreading the infection after recovery is thought to be very low.....

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-34592132

/ wrote: Update 21 October: A number of media sources have reported that the condition of the nurse admitted to the Royal Free has significantly improved but will remain admitted for some time to come. Her illness was confirmed to be viral meningitis, caused by re-emergence of the Ebola virus where it had been replicating at a low level in her brain. A new treatment was used, an experimental antiviral drug called  https://pandemic.internationalsos.com/ebola/ebola-facts/ebola-treatment - GS-5734, as the antibody-based therapies used previously would not reach the brain.

Hello guest.  We haven't seen any of those reports. 

Ha Ha do you remember that topic last year about the Ebola women who rose from the dead and returned to the village to be called Zombies....and everyone was terrified about them...The Returned.

Anyway I have a question.

The nurse has been treated for meningitis, from which she has recovered.I.e the inflammation in her brain has been controlled.   She has however NOT yet erradicate the Ebola virus which at present is still in her central nervous system (CNS). The hospital have said that due to her still being EBOV positive she is if course still being treated in full isolation.

The position of the virus in the CNS is very difficult for drugs to reach. This isn't like the other patient who had it in his eye, this is the CNS. Most drugs can't cross the natural protective filter called the blood brain barrier. ( either can ZMapp as the antibodies are too big). To tackle this the medical team have gained access to an experimental antiviral drug known as GS5734. They are hoping it will reach the virus, and have the ability to kill it. This is all a lot of if's.....

So here is the question. Pauline is EBOV positive, she is still in full isolation, they are attempting to clear the virus with an experimental drug....what happens if it fails, what if they can't get rid of the virus. What do they do with her.

They can't release her, simply put her on a plane knowing she is EBOV positive. However they can't keep her in isolation for ever. Legally and medically she could potentially be in a very unique position. Poor woman.

Also this is their most recent statement

Quote "This is the original Ebola virus that she had many months ago which has been inside the brain replicating at a very low level and re-emerged to cause this clinical illness. We're very hopeful that Pauline will slowly make a full recovery," he said, adding that he hoped Cafferkey's own immune system would eventually fight off and clear the virus.

This last sentence is strange considering her immune system has had a year and still not cleared the virus.

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN0SF1DK20151021?irpc=932


Perhaps it is just me but I don't think this is over yet. What happens if the nurse can't clear this virus, does she stay in limbo in hospital, and could she have another relapse if it is still there

Poor soul, what a nightmare.