Modes of infection and protection against infection

Most people with the Ebola virus in the current outbreak in West Africa were infected by one of these routes. Doctors and people who come into contact with patients are especially at risk.

Further modes of infection include:

• Sexual contact
• Burial ceremonies which involve touching the corpse
• Transmission via contaminated objects and surfaces, for example, if someone touches a door handle that has just been touched by a patient, then rubs his or her eyes

Researchers believe that fruit bats are the natural reservoir for Ebola; in other words they are virus’s natural host. Apes appear to be "accidental" hosts that can pass the disease along, with humans contracting the virus after coming into contact with the infected apes or eating bushmeat. Rodents are also thought to carry the virus. The first cases of Ebola are believed to have occurred when humans ate the meat of these animals.

One important fact is that a patient is not infectious until he or she has the first symptoms of the virus.

There is no evidence that mosquitoes or other insects can transmit the Ebola virus.

Strict hygiene is the best protection against the virus. Hands should be washed regularly with chlorinated water, soap and disinfectant, especially in areas where the virus is epidemic. Chlorinated water tanks have been installed outside civic buildings in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, and in many parts of the region, people no longer shake hands or hug when they meet, instead coming up with their own ‘hands-free’ ways to greet each other.

Rubber gloves and face masks do not guarantee 100 percent protection, and even protective suits serve as a reliable shield only when used correctly. This requires special training. Taking them off after having come into contact with a patient is complicated and high-risk. The suit can only be worn once and must be destroyed immediately after use.

The following basic rules apply in Ebola hotspots:

• Avoid touching objects and other people
• Avoid touching your face
• Wash hands on a regular basis!

Ebola can only enter into the body through open sores, the eyes, nose, mouth or other orifices.