The Ebola virus is contracted through bodily fluids
Fear is spread across America as the first two Americans, who had contracted the Ebola Virus disease (EVD), were transported from Liberia to Atlanta. Those in fear are afraid the disease will sweep the country like it did in West Africa. A new study has backed up the idea from epidemiologists that EVD is contracted when in contact with bodily fluids. Gary Kobinger of the University of Manitoba led the research and the results were published in Scientific Reports. Kobinger published a paper in 2012 that displayed the transition of the Ebolavirus from pigs to macaques. The swine and primates weren’t place in direct contact, but near each other. The pigs were infected with a piece of Ebola that is noted to not be harmful to humans, but can be fatal to monkeys. The monkeys contracted the diseases by being near the pigs, so it was reported that the disease could be transmitted through the air due to the aerosol generated by the pigs.
The researched displayed how the infected monkeys were not able to transmit the virus to uninfected monkeys without direct contact. The study reported that the reason why humans were infected with the disease is because of the infected monkeys. Since the two groups of primates were close enough to each other, the disease could be transmitted through the air. The infected monkeys died within a week while the two others did not obtain the disease at all. It is still in question whether this disease is airborne or if pigs have a specialized ability to do so.
Until then, there is no evidence that shows that primates transmit the disease through the air. The only evidence is through direct bodily contact. West Africa has gone through the spread of EVD because of the lack of healthcare infrastructure. Many people don’t believe in medical practices and prefer to handle situations traditionally, which most likely include contact with the patient without any protective barriers. The doctors providing care in Atlanta understand what precautions needed during this situation.
