We answered readers’ questions about Ebola during a Twitter chat Thursday. Here’s an edited version with some expanded answers:
Is it possible for someone with Ebola to become a carrier of it?
When Ebola survivors have blood tests, they come back negative for the virus, which indicates that Ebola doesn’t remain in their bloodstream once they have recovered.
Can Ebola be transmitted via perspiration — should there be concern at health clubs?
Ebola can be excreted in sweat but it’s usually in much lower concentrations than the amount of virus found in the blood and feces of infected patients. Surfaces can be easily disinfected with bleach, which kills Ebola.
If the situation in West Africa worsens, will we see more cases like Thomas Eric Duncan coming to the U.S.?
Yes. As long as the epidemic continues to spread in West Africa, there is a likelihood of imported cases here and in other countries. The best way to protect the public health of Americans is to end the outbreak in West Africa immediately.
Can viruses like Ebola evolve, and if so, how fast?
All viruses mutate, some quicker than others. Ebola actually is slower than some other viruses. Many people are scared that it could mutate to spread in a different way and become easier to transmit. But there’s no biological precedent of a virus mutating so that its mode of transmission completely changes.
How is it that the nurses are infected but, so far, none of Duncan’s family are?
That’s because nurses, health care workers and caregivers have much more contact with the patient and his bodily fluids. They’re also doing more high risk stuff like taking blood, intubating the patient and using other medical procedures that can expose them to the virus.
Can the disease be transmitted by insects, like mosquitoes?
No, Ebola isn’t transmitted by insects. It can be spread by some animals such as bats and monkeys.
Dr. Seema Yasmin, a former epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a physician and a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. Follow her on Twitter at @DoctorYasmin.