Well: Ask Well: How Does Ebola Spread? How Long Can the Virus Survive?

Q

Can I get Ebola from public transportation? As in, if a passenger coughed into their hand and then held onto the pole, and then another passenger held onto that pole and inadvertently wiped their eye?

A

The answer is no. Someone with Ebola is really, really sick. They're seeking hospital care. It is unlikely they are riding the bus. They are not going to work. The virus is spread by bodily fluid contact: by blood, by vomit. When it's being spread by sweat or urine, you're practically at the dead body stage. So it's not transmitted the way that colds could be, by touching a pole in a subway or bus.

Q

How long does the Ebola virus live on contaminated surfaces, such as bed sheets, door knobs, etc.?

A

It's different in every set of circumstances. The Ebola virus eventually dries out in the air and dies. It's not like anthrax, which forms a hard capsule around itself and can survive for months or a year. Ebola is a virus that is meant to live inside blood or fluid in your cells. It's not meant to live in the open air, so it dies. A sheet that has wet blood in it is more dangerous than one with dried blood, because by then it would have dried out. There's not one answer, but it is considered to be fairly safe after about 24 hours, certainly in environments that are cleaned regularly like hospitals.

Q

Can a blood test show if a person has the Ebola virus before they are symptomatic?

A

With blood tests that we have now, no. In fact, in order to be fairly certain, you have to have the first symptom, which is a fever, for about three days before there's enough virus coursing around in your blood for the blood test to be accurate.

Q

Many viruses (such as herpes) can be transmitted before a person shows symptoms. Why is that not the case for Ebola?

A

The basic answer is that all viruses are different. In the case of Ebola, you have to get a basic all-over body infection with infected blood and vomit coming out of you before you can pass the disease on to anybody else.

More Ebola Stories That May Interest You:

Understanding the Risks of Ebola, and What 'Direct Contact' Means

What Are the Chances Ebola Will Spread in the United States?

Ebola Patient's Journey Shows How Global Travel Spreads Disease

Use of Ebola Survivors' Blood as Possible Treatment Gains Support