There's a persistent myth that pathogens become less deadly over time.
@rkhamsi & @dylanhmorris just reminded me of this since people are apparently acting assured that SARS2 can't become more deadly? Psh.
Short 🧵of history beginning w/hopes of an end to infectious disease
@rkhamsi & @dylanhmorris just reminded me of this since people are apparently acting assured that SARS2 can't become more deadly? Psh.
Short 🧵of history beginning w/hopes of an end to infectious disease
According to Frank Snowden's "Epidemics & Society", 'eradicationists' of the 60s & 70s foretold the end of infectious disease. We had some cures, and they said the bugs become less deadly over time. But like evolutionary psychologists(dis!), they didn't study evolutionary biology
If they had, they'd realize that evolution doesn't have directionality. Anyways, time proved them wrong. eg New strains of dengue evolved, and a second infection with a new strain can be deadly. The HIV epidemic showed that unknown viruses emerge from nature fairly regularly.
The moral of the story is that we need to get serious about surveillance. Everything changes. Evolution happens. SARS2 will evolve. Could become more transmissible, more deadly, resistant to drugs or vaccines.
All we can do is sequence it, track it and curb its spread.
All we can do is sequence it, track it and curb its spread.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
