Other researchers are now investigating whether mosaicism is a factor in more common diseases, like schizophrenia.
This work also extends to more common diseases such as allergies and viral infections.
The approach to treating a rare disease is different to that taken for more common diseases.
Because the early symptoms of ebola resemble more common diseases, reported infections quickly grow.
It will probably be years before the technology can be used for more common diseases in more patients.
The list's second and third tiers — the high and medium priority categories — cover bacteria that cause more common diseases, such as gonorrhea and food poisoning caused by salmonella.
He hopes the technique can be applied to more common diseases as well, perhaps by studying people with early onset or extreme cases.
Patients who have less expensive treatments for more common diseases, such as an EpiPen and arthritis drugs, often find companies willing to help.
Researchers have been able to identify risk factors for more common diseases, like breast, colon and lung cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Other increasingly drug-resistant bacteria, which are deemed high and medium priority, cause more common diseases such as gonorrhoea and food poisoning caused by salmonella.
Properly staffed, well-supplied clinics would help countries handle not just outbreaks of Ebola, but more common diseases such as malaria and HIV.
