Delays hinder Ebola genomics

摘要: As the Ebola epidemic sweeps through West Africa, scientists lack key genetic data to answer a question that has provoked much worried speculation: Is virus becoming more transmissible or deadly, acquiring changes would let it evade diagnostic tests vaccines? Thousands of blood samples from patients have been sitting in refrigerators Africa and Europe, untouched. And, as Science went press, few groups new sequence not made them public. Researchers are eager for close-up look at how may be evolving. Besides answering questions about its virulence, genomic could reveal details epidemic, including hotspots transmission often escaped animal reservoir humans. But faced with all-consuming public health response bureaucratic obstacles, and chaotic record keeping, had wait.