#EBOLA WAYS OF TRANSMISSION UPDATE#
#EBOLA WAYS OF TRANSMISSION SKIN#

The research team consists of the following members: “As they report on events related to Ebola, the media and public health officials need to better inform Americans of Ebola and how it is spread.”įor more information about the disease, see the CDC’s Questions and Answers about Ebola “Many people are concerned about a large scale outbreak of Ebola occurring in the U.S.,” said Gillian SteelFisher, deputy director of the Harvard Opinion Research Program and research scientist in the HSPH Department of Health Policy and Management. To date, the media reports two people infected with Ebola overseas have been treated in the U.S. Learn more about how Ebola is transmitted.Ī third of those polled (33%) believe there is “an effective medicine to treat people who have gotten sick with Ebola.” According to the CDC and WHO, there is no proven anti-viral medicine, however, treating symptoms - such as maintaining fluids, oxygen levels, and blood pressure - can increase the odds of survival. This perception may contrast with CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), and other health experts who note that Ebola is not an airborne illness, and is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, infected objects, or infected animals. Two-thirds of people (68%) surveyed believe Ebola spreads “easily” (“very easily” or “somewhat easily”) from those who are sick with it. Perhaps related, those with less education are also less likely to be following the news about the Ebola outbreak in West Africa closely (total 63% less than high school 57% and some college 62% vs. People with less education are also more concerned they or their family will get sick with Ebola (less than high school 37% vs. The HSPH/SSRS poll found people with less education are more likely to be concerned about an outbreak in the U.S.

#EBOLA WAYS OF TRANSMISSION UPDATE#

Get an update on the outbreak from the CDC. Officials report 1,350 have died as of Augand over 2,473 people have been infected since March 2014. Four countries have reported infections: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.Įbola hemorrhagic fever is a severe, often fatal disease in humans and nonhuman primates, such as monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees. The nationally representative poll of 1,025 adults was conducted August 13-17, 2014 by researchers at HSPH and SSRS, an independent research company. are concerned that there will be a large outbreak in the U.S., and a quarter (26%) are concerned that they or someone in their immediate family may get sick with Ebola over the next year. The time from infection to the appearance of symptoms (incubation period) is usually eight to 10 days but can range from two to 21 days.Boston, MA – Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports no known cases of Ebola transmission in the United States, a Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)/SSRS poll released today (August 21, 2014) shows that four in ten (39%) adults in the U.S. For example, you could become infected if you touched infected body fluids and then touched your eyes.

#EBOLA WAYS OF TRANSMISSION SKIN#

The virus enters a person through a break in the skin or through the mucous membranes, such as the tissues of the eyes, nose, throat or vagina.

Contaminated objects, such as clothing, bed linens, doorknobs, needles and other medical equipment, or other surfacesĪfter people have recovered, the virus can often be detected for many months in certain body fluids, including semen, breast milk and urine.

Another person who has symptoms of the disease or has died from the disease.

There is no evidence that mosquitoes or other insects transmit the Ebola virus.įor humans, the source of exposure to virus-carrying body fluids may include:

Other animals that have been infected include chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines. Research suggests that fruit bats are most likely the original hosts of the Ebola virus. People become contagious when they develop symptoms.īody fluids that can transmit Ebola include: Unlike a cold or the flu, the Ebola virus is not spread by tiny droplets that remain in the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes.Įbola is spread between humans when an uninfected person has direct contact with body fluids of a person who is sick with the disease or has died. No, the virus that causes Ebola is not transmitted through the air.

Ebola ways of transmission