# Basic facts on ebola we need to know **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599 "2014-10-17T18:00:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/1 "2014-10-17T18:00:53Z")
1. Can ebola be spread on money? 2. How long will the virus live outside the body on a dry surface? 3. Shopping carts, seats on busses and planes, how much danger is there to using one if an early symptom ebola patient has used it? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/2 "2014-10-17T18:15:21Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > 1. Can ebola be spread on money? Only if there’s blood, vomit, feces, or other body fluids on it. So don’t accept dirty money! [QUOTE=HoneyBadgerDC] 2. How long will the virus live outside the body on a dry surface? [/QUOTE] [From the CDC:](http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/transmission/qas.html) > [@](#): > > Ebola on dried on surfaces such as doorknobs and countertops can survive for several hours; however, virus in body fluids (such as blood) can survive up to several days at room temperature. [QUOTE=HoneyBadgerDC] 3. Shopping carts, seats on busses and planes, how much danger is there to using one if an early symptom ebola patient has used it? [/QUOTE] Not much, unless they recently discharged body fluids on it. So look before you sit! Also from the CDC: > [@](#): > > Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with body fluids of a person who has symptoms of Ebola disease. Although coughing and sneezing are not common symptoms of Ebola, if a symptomatic patient with Ebola coughs or sneezes on someone, and saliva or mucus come into contact with that person’s eyes, nose or mouth, these fluids may transmit the disease. > > What does “direct contact” mean? > Direct contact means that body fluids (blood, saliva, mucus, vomit, urine, or feces) from an infected person (alive or dead) have touched someone’s eyes, nose, or mouth or an open cut, wound, or abrasion. > [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > If the risks are low it may be important to get this info out there to avoid panic, if the risks are high it very well could have to opposite effect. At this point, the risks for the average person in the US are vanishingly small. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/3 "2014-10-17T18:23:05Z")
Note that the CDC does not list sweat as one of the bodily fluids. You could probably safely shake hands with a contagious person, as long as their hand does not have significant bathroom residue on it or if you (discreetly) wipe your own hand clean soon after. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/4 "2014-10-17T18:23:35Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > 1. Can ebola be spread on money? > > 2. How long will the virus live outside the body on a dry surface? > > 3. Shopping carts, seats on busses and planes, how much danger is there to using one if an early symptom ebola patient has used it? I think Colibri addresses your question pretty well. As for avoiding a panic, if you listen to media in the US, you’d think they are promoting ebola to be the 5th horseman of the apocalypse. People are already in a panic, altho if anyone stopped to think about it, the risk of getting killed by many other means during our daily lives right now is much higher than contact with ebola. Granted, there have been some major screw-ups early in our experience with this disease, I think the media is whipping up a frenzy of worrying about it. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/5 "2014-10-17T18:28:21Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > 1. Can ebola be spread on money? Money is filthy and disgusting. [Ebola is the least of your concerns.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/dirty-dollars-that-paper-money-is-teeming-with-germs/2014/04/24/ae806962-cad2-11e3-93eb-6c0037dde2ad_story.html) ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/6 "2014-10-17T18:39:39Z")
The virus itself I have very little concerns of. My main concern is the what might happen if too many people panic. If the CDC tries to sugar coat things and turns out wrong too many times they will loose credibility. I believe how this is handled is of extreme importance. I have allready heard people talk about stock piling food and preparing for self isolations for extended periods. Approximately 21 days from now when it turns out that the nurse did not infect anyone on her flight it should have a huge calming and reassuring effect on the population in general. The next few weeks could be very important. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/7 "2014-10-17T18:54:22Z")
Stockpiling food and such is actually not a bad idea, but ebola is actually a less likely reason to do so. You live in an area that’s subject to earthquakes, and I think an influenza pandemic is more likely than ebola becoming a big problem in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/8 "2014-10-17T19:00:50Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > 1. Can ebola be spread on money? > [@Colibri](#): > > Only if there’s blood, vomit, feces, or other body fluids on it. Anyone else picturing Ebola as peanut butter or jam? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/9 "2014-10-18T01:33:46Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Anyone else picturing Ebola as peanut butter or jam? Totally. Then again, I was just spreading peanut butter on an apple. While looking up ebola plush dolls online. True story. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/10 "2014-10-18T14:11:42Z")
Ebola can also remain infectious in a lyophilized or “freeze dried” state outside the body for an indefinite period of time. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/11 "2014-10-18T14:22:06Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Note that the CDC does not list sweat as one of the bodily fluids. You could probably safely shake hands with a contagious person, as long as their hand does not have significant bathroom residue on it or if you (discreetly) wipe your own hand clean soon after. > [@snowthx](#): > > I think Colibri addresses your question pretty well. As for avoiding a panic, if you listen to media in the US, you’d think they are promoting ebola to be the 5th horseman of the apocalypse. People are already in a panic, altho if anyone stopped to think about it, the risk of getting killed by many other means during our daily lives right now is much higher than contact with ebola. > > Granted, there have been some major screw-ups early in our experience with this disease, I think the media is whipping up a frenzy of worrying about it. I agree that the media are whipping up a panic here. I do have a question though about the definition of “bodily fluids”. Someone wiping their mouth with their hand then handling money, doorknobs etc. Can this minute amount of saliva spread the virus? The same question goes for your average human unhygienic actions such as nose picking. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/12 "2014-10-18T15:44:59Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Note that the CDC does not list sweat as one of the bodily fluids. You could probably safely shake hands with a contagious person, as long as their hand does not have significant bathroom residue on it or if you (discreetly) wipe your own hand clean soon after. In later stages of severe Ebola, the victim can start bleeding out of pores. I wouldn’t consider sweat perfectly safe as some light, barely noticeable, pore bleeding might occur earlier on. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/13 "2014-10-18T15:58:21Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > I agree that the media are whipping up a panic here. I do have a question though about the definition of “bodily fluids”. Someone wiping their mouth with their hand then handling money, doorknobs etc. Can this minute amount of saliva spread the virus? The same question goes for your average human unhygienic actions such as nose picking. These are exactly the type of questions people need answered. ---
**Author:** ![dofe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ba0ec/32.png) [@dofe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dofe)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/14 "2014-10-18T16:02:20Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > These are exactly the type of questions people need answered. The CDC has a [QA page](http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/transmission/qas.html) that answers these questions: > [@](#): > > **What are body fluids?** > > Ebola has been detected in blood and many body fluids. Body fluids include saliva, mucus, vomit, feces, sweat, tears, breast milk, urine, and semen. > > \*\*Can Ebola spread by coughing? By sneezing? > \*\* > Unlike respiratory illnesses like measles or chickenpox, which can be transmitted by virus particles that remain suspended in the air after an infected person coughs or sneezes, Ebola is transmitted by direct contact with body fluids of a person who has symptoms of Ebola disease. Although coughing and sneezing are not common symptoms of Ebola, if a symptomatic patient with Ebola coughs or sneezes on someone, and saliva or mucus come into contact with that person’s eyes, nose or mouth, these fluids may transmit the disease. > > \*\*What does “direct contact” mean? > \*\* > Direct contact means that body fluids (blood, saliva, mucus, vomit, urine, or feces) from an infected person (alive or dead) have touched someone’s eyes, nose, or mouth or an open cut, wound, or abrasion. > > \*\*How long does Ebola live outside the body? > \*\* > Ebola is killed with hospital-grade disinfectants (such as household bleach). Ebola dried on surfaces such as doorknobs and countertops can survive for several hours; however, virus in body fluids (such as blood) can survive up to several days at room temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/15 "2014-10-18T23:45:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Stockpiling food and such is actually not a bad idea, but ebola is actually a less likely reason to do so. You live in an area that’s subject to earthquakes, and I think an influenza pandemic is more likely than ebola becoming a big problem in the US. ^ This. I try to keep 2-4 weeks of stuff in the house. Haven’t had any (serious) earthquakes or disease outbreaks, but it’s come in handy during blizzards and post-tornado multi-day power failures. I view it as general emergency preparedness. Has also been helpful during interruptions in income during the Great Recession. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/16 "2014-10-19T09:51:39Z")
I want to say a very big and most emphatic **thank you** to HoneyBadgerDC for starting this thread. I have been looking around on several boards for some serious info about Ebola and I’m extremely happy to see there is at least one good informative thread here on this board (and that is this thread right here). This is something that was needed in a very big way for quite a long time now and I’m sad to say this kind of info is sadly lacking on many other boards. I would like to post some info that I hope will be useful to people. I do not mean to detract from the other threads here. There are some others and I just haven’t had the time to look through them yet. But, please allow me to link to an excellent article here: > **[10 Reasons You Shouldn't Worry About Ebola](https://www.toptenz.net/10-reasons-shouldnt-worry-ebola.php)** > > The recent outbreak of Ebola started in Guinea during December 2013 and has spread to six countries, including the United States. Its arrival in America has made a number of Americans nervous, with one in five people worried they could catch it.... This article is titled: Ten Reasons You Shouldn’t Worry About Ebola. Please do not read **“TEN REASONS YOU SHOULDN’T WORRY ABOUT EBOLA”** and become complacent about Ebola. IMO, the purpose of this article is to point out many of the facts that cause people to worry unnecessarily. But it would be a terrible mistake to read this title and then figure there is no reason to worry. I originally intended to extract much of the info and alter it slightly to bring the most important points to light. But, I have found it extremely difficult to do that. There is just so much excellent and important info and I have found it so very difficult to extract the important points for this forum. As a result, I have decided to just leave that up to you and plead with you to try to read this for yourselves and extract the important info. Good Luck and I hope you and yours stay safe. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/17 "2014-10-19T10:01:30Z")
I can’t seem to edit my post above. I think that’s because I have run out of time. But I’d like to add this: The article I linked to may be titled … **TEN REASONS YOU SHOULDN’T WORRY ABOUT EBOLA** But the intent of that article is pretty much the opposite of that. In other words, it would probably be better titled … **PLENTY OF REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD INDEED WORRY ABOUT EBOLA** ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/18 "2014-10-19T10:03:42Z")
The important thing about the above article, is to differentiate between those things that you should worry about versus those things that are not that important to worry about. I’m very sorry about the messy editing. I’m wondering if there was a recent change to this forum such that you can’t submit two posts without waiting 60 seconds before posting the second one? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/19 "2014-10-19T10:18:13Z")
No, that’s not recent, the 60 seconds between posts rule has been here for years. Also, you only have a 5-minute edit window on a post. And I disagree with your assessment of the linked article. I think it does explain why the vast majority of people reading it don’t have to worry about catching Ebola. That’s not being complacent, that’s being rational. If I had a pressing reason to travel to, say, Liberia right now I’d be more concerned but I’m not going there. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599/20 "2014-10-19T10:41:20Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > No, that’s not recent, the 60 seconds between posts rule has been here for years. Also, you only have a 5-minute edit window on a post. > > And I disagree with your assessment of the linked article. I think it does explain why the vast majority of people reading it don’t have to worry about catching Ebola. That’s not being complacent, that’s being rational. If I had a pressing reason to travel to, say, Liberia right now I’d be more concerned but I’m not going there. My first reaction to your post is that I’m glad to see you have some reaction - even though you disagree with me. In general, it seems to me, that people tend to underestimate the seriousness of any impending disaster. It is very difficult to know whether or not the possibility of an impending Ebola pandemic will be serious or not. IMHO, it’s so much better to be over-prepared rather than under-prepared. But, regardless of the outcome, I wish you the best and hope you will stay safe. Best of luck to you! In most cases, when a serious disaster is about to hit, most people tend to underestimate the probability they will be affected and I will be happy if that is the case once again. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-facts-on-ebola-we-need-to-know/701599.md?page=2)