Ebola – Do We Really Need to Worry? Part I

How does Ebola spread to humans?  Good question to ponder.  Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals.  In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected fruit bats, monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, forest antelope, and porcupines found ill or dead in the rainforest.  There is a huge trade in “bush meat” in these African countries that have outbreaks.
Fruit bats are the likely natural host of the Ebola virus.
Gorillas or chimpanzees are infected by eating fruit that the fruit bats have salivated on.
Duikers, a small antelope native to Africa, can be infected by eating bat-contaminated foods.
Human infection results from eating contaminated bush meat or by touching objects that have been in contact with the virus.
It also interesting to note that in most African countries, death of relatives are treated completely differently than on most other continents and countries.  It is common practice to handle the dead in the home and by relatives before burial.  This too has a major impact on the transference of the virus if the deceased had the Ebola virus.
With that said, get your flu shot.