In an interview on TVI’s news program, Diário da Manhã, Professor Miguel Castanho, Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, UL stated that the case in Spain is not representative of a generalised outbreak of the disease and that "we are far from an uncontrolled situation." He went on to add that using the experimental serum is an "acceptable" risk to take, if necessary.

Source : Site TVI24.IOL

There is no reason for alarm but to be attentive was the message, Professor Miguel Castanho, Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, UL wanted to transmit on TVI’s news program, Diário da Manhã, about the risk of contagion of the Ebola virus in Portugal. "Fear is a bad counsellor. We are far from an uncontrolled situation”.

Professor Castanho began the interview saying that "It is crucial to stay calm, because the facts do not justify panic or fear”. When the journalist, Patricia Matos, asked if this could still be the case considering Portugal’s proximity to Spain, with a confirmed case and six people under observation, Professor Castanho answered that the situation "does not in any way justify" panic.

Miguel Castanho explained that the virus can be highly deadly in a given context. "We must demystify this. Without medical attention, the virus is very deadly" and this is what has been observed in African countries where the healthcare system is more fragile.

Nevertheless, the case of the man travelling from Liberia to the United States, dying in America where he was being treated, must be noted. Professor Castanho stressed, however, that the contagion occurred in Africa. "There is a particular ecosystem which is optimal for the virus’s survival. The virus affects animals as well as humans. Those animal species that can be affected live in some African countries, but not in Europe. Therefore, the virus can become more easily established in certain geographical areas than others”.

Regarding Spain, Portugal’s neighboring country where one case of an infected nursing assistant has been detected, and which shares Portugal’s ecosystem, Professor Castanho added, “To place this incident in context, it must be stated that in these cases the virus was imported, contaminating some people in those countries [as happened in Spain]. This does not mean that the conditions necessary to establish a permanent and prolonged outbreak of the virus are in place in that country, because the virus has a particular cycle in nature. Obviously some geographic regions are more favorable”. Europe is not one of these.

Professor Castanho further elaborated on the ecosystem where Ebola normally spreads giving examples: "The virus in Africa exists in humans, gorillas, bats, and probably other wildlife species; the interaction between these various species constitute the habitat of the virus." The virus has never infected dogs, the Director-General of Health, Francisco George clarified today.

Neither can it be said that Portugal is effectively on the infection’s route. "Portugal is as exposed as any other country. But at this time it is not exposed through the importation of the virus. At this moment, there is nothing to say that we in Portugal are at greater risk than any other European country," he insisted.

"If the problem in Spain was a generalised outbreak it could spread in Portugal through geographical proximity, then obviously there would be increased risk in Portugal. But we are not near a generalised outbreak in Spain. There was one case. More may arise from direct contact.

Apparently there may have been some oversights on the part of the patient [in the case of auxiliary nurse; curiously the doctor who treated her is also in hospital under observation. He has made numerous criticisms of the control protocol, including the fact that he himself had to change his protective suit 13 times during the 16 hours he attended her]. We are not facing a generalized case. Fear is a bad counsellor”.

One thing is certain "obviously the health authorities are attentive to the situation." Moreover, yesterday the Health Minister informed the Portuguese public that Portugal can have access to experimental serum if this is necessary.

Miguel Castanho explained that the serum was already being tested clinically before the outbreak. What happens is that "when the cases are not serious, new drugs must pass a series of tests."

Will it be possible to expect good results from this treatment? "The serum can be used on humans, with very good results in some patients, however in others it is not as good and can even be ineffective”, as occurred in the case of the Liberian man who was infected with the virus and eventually died in the USA. “When in doubt, and if patients have no other choice, the risk of the experimental drug is acceptable. It is less than the risk of the disease itself," he argued.

The serum may be useful in combating Ebola, as well as other diseases, because "it uses antibodies, quite a modern technology which is expected to yield significant results combating various diseases in the future (for example tumors and cancer). From the standpoint of attacking disease, sometimes there are common elements" among these diseases, he pointed out.

As with the flu virus, which has not been eradicated, but controlled, the same may happen in the case of Ebola. "This would mean that there is not a 100% effective treatment. We ourselves forget that we controlled influenza, but we have not eradicated it. We have learned to live with the influenza virus”.

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