How the Ebola virus is transmitted

Ebola is one of the deadliest diseases known to mankind – with a fatality rate of up to 90 percent, and no licensed treatments or vaccines available – but experts say the virus poses a very low threat to people living outside of Africa

HUMAN-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION
Occurs only when symptoms develop

Direct contact: With blood or bodily fluids of infected person –including saliva, tears, faeces, vomit and urine. Fluids have to enter broken skin (such as a wound) or via mouth, nose or eyes  

Food and drink
Virus can be caught by sharing same dish or utensils as infected person, or by drinking from same container, or through eating food prepared or served by someone with Ebola

Sex: Virus able tosurvive in semen for up to 82 days after onset of illness. Sexual transmission can still occur up to seven weeks after patient has clinically recovered

Breast milk
Mothers advised to avoid breastfeeding if they are infected – unless no safe alternative exists – and avoid restarting for “some weeks” if they recover from disease

Outside of body
Virus can exist ondry surfaces, such as door handles and worktops, for several hours. In bodily fluids such as blood, it can survive for several days at room temperature

Coughs / sneezes
Ebola not usually spread through air like flu, but infected person could spray someone with saliva or mucus so it contacts that person’s eyes, nose or mouth

ANIMAL-TO-HUMAN TRANSMISSION

Fruit bats: Believed to be natural host of Ebola virus in Africa, passing it on to other animals. Humans first contract disease by eating infected animals or coming into contact with their bodily fluids

Other animals: Only mammals – including chimpanzees, gorillas, antelope, dogs, pigs and rodents – can be infected. There is no evidence that mosquitos or other insects can transmit Ebola

Sources: CDC, wire agencies
Pictures: AP, Getty Images, NIAID, Tina Franklin