It seems every other news article lately is about Ebola. While it mostly seems to be a problem a world away, we all know that air travel has made our globe a much smaller place, so it seems appropriate to talk a little about Ebola in order to match our concern with our level of risk.

What is Ebola?
Ebola is a virus found in a family of closely related viruses called filoviruses. They get their name from its microscopic appearance, which resembles the filament of a light bulb or a strand of spaghetti. Although the current epidemic in Africa has been big news, it is not a new virus. It was first identified in 1976 in a cluster of cases along the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Small epidemics have occurred over the years in various locations on the African continent.

Why is it dangerous?
Currently, there isn’t a known medical therapy to treat the virus. Ebola kills its patients by causing damage in the lining of small blood vessels in the body, which leads to uncontrollable bleeding. Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and a patient’s immune response.

How does it spread?
It is important to realize two key factors: First, Ebola does not spread via airborne particles. It is spread by contact with infected bodily fluids. Second, patients who have the virus but do not exhibit symptoms are not infectious. Initially, the virus is found in tissues of the body, like the liver and spleen. The virus spreads to the blood (and the patient’s body fluids become infectious) at the same time the chief symptoms appear: fever, headache, diarrhea and bleeding.

Is Ebola likely to become a big problem in the U.S.?
Simply, no. While there may be sporadic cases of Ebola in people who were exposed to infected patients and who’ve traveled here from Africa (primarily from three countries: Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone), the risk to the general public is minimal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s infrastructure and ability to track and monitor possible patients is quite robust, therefore, a community outbreak is unlikely. There is no need to avoid contact with people that do not exhibit symptoms, even if they have recently travelled to Africa.

The bottom line?
The CDC says: “Ebola poses no substantial risk to the U.S. general population … Ebola is not spread through casual contact; therefore, the risk of an outbreak in the U.S. is very low.”

If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to contact your doctor.