Are we *sure* Ebola isn’t airborne? – Aetiology

2.10.14

Are we *sure* Ebola isn’t airborne? – Aetiology: *However*, the kicker was not that Ebola is transmitted by air in human outbreaks, but rather that there may be something unique about pig physiology that allows them to generate more infectious aerosols as a general rule–so though aerosols aren’t a transmission route between primates (including humans, as well as non-human primates used experimentally), pigs may be a bigger threat as far as aerosols. Thus, this may be important for transmission of swine influenza and other viruses as well as Ebola.

So unless you’re sitting next to an Ebola-infected pig, seriously, airborne transmission of Ebola viruses isn’t a big concern. (Perhaps this corollary should be added to this handy diagram examining your risk of Ebola).