As the Asian bird flu infiltrates Europe, the question on everyone's mind is: are we on the verge of a worldwide epidemic? And, if so, are we prepared? Do we have the technology and resources to handle a super flu virus that could mutate and spread ferociously? Do we have a chance of preventing mass infection and mayhem?
On Sunday, November 13, 2005 from 9 - 11 p.m. ET/PT, two National Geographic Channel (NGC) world premieres vividly depict the potential horror of how two deadly viral infections could spread across the globe, and how scientists are racing to find cures every time a new strain threatens the human race. "MicroKillers: Ebola" and "MicroKillers: SuperFlu" both use dramatizations based on real science to illustrate how someone could unknowingly become infected and start a frightening chain reaction with worldwide consequences.
"MicroKillers: Ebola" at 9 p.m. ET/PT
It has been called "the death of a thousand cuts." The insidious Ebola virus tears you apart from the inside, bursting capillaries and reducing your internal organs to a sack of blood and jellied tissue. Roughly ten percent of human beings can fight off Ebola's worst strain -- Ebola-Zaire. And while some are immune, for those infected, there is no known cure.
Join NGC as it explores what could happen if Ebola was carried into the United States by an infected soldier who had just been stationed in the African jungle. "MicroKillers: Ebola" also gives viewers a rare look inside the top-secret U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) where scientists risk their lives on a daily basis in order to find cures for the deadliest viruses in the world.
Experts featured include: Colonel Peter Jahrling, principal investigator at USAMRIID who has studied Ebola and Marburg for more than a decade; and C.J. Peters, M.D., head of the Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
"MicroKillers: SuperFlu" at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Tomorrow, a new potent strain of the flu could sweep the earth and leave tens of millions dead. It has happened before. And it can happen again.
It might sound like science fiction, but as recent news reports from around the world reveal, the threat is real. A single microscopic particle of superflu could start a chain reaction that hits humanity harder than any natural disaster.
In fact, every few years, a new strain of the flu appears that our immune systems can't contain. When it spreads to several countries, it becomes a pandemic virus -- a threat to the human race.
"MicroKillers: SuperFlu" examines a fictional scenario of a female traveler unintentionally spreading a deadly flu strain with every cough, sneeze and breath. The reality is chilling. How can we protect ourselves? If there is an antiviral, there won't be enough to save everyone so... who gets it first?
