The word of the day is that the Ebola virus is not prone to airborne transmission. OTOH, diseases like the flu are prone to airborne transmission, specifically by coughs or sneezes that produce aerosols of virus-bearing mucus/saliva droplets.
So why can Ebola not be transmitted in this manner? I understand that coughing and sneezing aren’t specifically symptoms of an Ebola infection - but healthy people sneeze and cough from time to time, so I would expect someone infected with Ebola to cough and sneeze from time to time as well. Why would this not produce an infectious aerosol?
does coughing count as something being airbourne? If someone with ebola spits in my mouth does that count as airbourne? I always kinda assumed ‘airbourne’ meant if I was in a room with someone who was ill I could get it from the ‘air’ diffusing the virus around from their breath, not specifically their spit/mucus/sneeze. That was an assumption though on my part
See “airborne disease.” Airborne transmission is due to aerosols of dust or liquids. Liquid aerosols include those generated by coughing or sneezing; dust aerosols would include (for example) dried fecal material; this is how hantavirus is transmitted to humans.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think normal breathing generates liquid aerosols.
There are just four hospitals in the Unites States that have full-fledged biocontainment units for the proper isolation and treatment of Ebola patients. Several of the Ebola patients have been transported, via air ambulance, to one or another of these.
Since this is GQ, and the question is a factual one, would you care to provide a cite indicating that airborne transmission of Ebola has suddenly been proven to have occurred?
Edit: apologies if I sound annoyed – I’m just tired of the hysteria and the spread of false facts when it comes to ebola.
An analogy I’ve heard about the difference between airborne droplets and aerosols is that a parachutist is “airborne” but rapidly descending (like a droplet), while a hang glider can stay aloft for a great deal of time and distance (aerosol).
If something is carried in a big heavy droplet that moves fewer than three feet from the patient (like spittle or mucus from a cough or sneeze), and then drops, then it’s Droplet borne.
If something is carried in a fine mist so that it can move further than three feet and is so small and light that it doesn’t immediately drop to the nearest horizontal surface below, it’s Airborne.
Thus sayeth nursing school, anyhow. I’m too tired to go look for a cite.
If large droplets (that can’t get more than 3’ away before settling) can carry Ebola, why wouldn’t small droplets that remain aloft also be infectious?
Don’t know. But it’s fairly common for non-respiratory viruses, like HIV. My (slightly educated) guess is that small droplets that remain aloft aren’t produced unless the lungs are making that kind of secretion, and that kind of secretions are produced during respiratory infections, but not during non-respiratory infections.
I realized that last post could be misinterpreted as meaning that HIV is spread by droplets, which is not true. I used it only as a well known example of a virus which is not airborne. HIV requires only Standard or Universal precautions, hand washing and gloves when contact with bodily fluids is anticipated. Sorry if I confused or alarmed anyone.
