Can you catch Ebola from an infected blanket?

[uppityperson]

The article has more information, presented in an easy to read manner.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/10/03/can-you-catch-ebola-from-an-infected-blanket/

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The Ebola virus is highly infectious but not very transmissible. That may sound to a lay person’s ear like a contradiction. What this means is that very little virus – in animal experiments, as few as 10 virus particles (virions) – can potentially lead to a fatal infection. That’s the “infectious” part of the equation.

But it’s not easy for that virus to be transmitted. Ebola is much less contagious than measles or influenza. It’s not an airborne virus. It’s transmitted through bodily fluids. The overwhelming majority of people who have been infected with Ebola are people who have directly cared for a person who is actively sick with the disease or have handled the body of someone who has died from it.

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In one laboratory experiment, scientists couldn’t recover Ebola virus that had contaminated a surface kept at room temperature. In another study, Ebola virus kept at cold temperature was recovered from plastic and glass surfaces after more than three weeks. But Peter Jahrling, director of the Integrated Research Facility of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Frederick, Md., doubts that in the real world the virus would survive nearly that long.

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Anyone dealing with the virus should be extremely careful, she said – because the consequences of a mistake are potentially so dire. “Because the outcome is so potentially dangerous – the case fatality is extremely high with this virus – you have to be extremely cautious. You need to take that extra step, because if you do have an exposure and if you are exposed to even a small quantity of the virus, the potential for a negative outcome is extremely high,” said Hensley.

[Kalidurga]

1. It sounds like you could in theory, but are unlikely to.

I wouldn't suggest sharing blankets with an Ebola patient though.

[pnwmom]

2. Right. You have to weigh the unlikelihood of the infection against the devastating nature

of the illness -- and take strong precautions.

The common cold, for example, is far more contagious but far less likely to result in death.

[uppityperson]

4. Exactly. eom

[LuvNewcastle]

3. I would say yes, if that blanket

was used by someone sick with the virus. Fluids from the infected person would probably soak into the blanket. I seriously doubt that you could be infected by a blanket that was merely stored in the same room as an Ebola patient, however. Nevertheless, I would keep materials for Ebola patients separate from those for others.

[herding cats]

5. With zero snark or nastiness, is there a history to why this is posted?

I've read the link, as it's already grayed out for me, and I think it may be what I saw earlier when I was at dinner with a friend when they went to the restroom. Only it wasn't in this thread since the times don't work for that. I could well have read the link earlier for some other reason since I've been following this topic, though. However, I know I saw something related to this earlier here but I was busy and didn't follow up.

My question I think is if there's some controversy I'm not aware of on this topic. I'm aware that textiles can potentially harbor the virus, which is why they're supposed to be removed from the rooms of the patients per the CDC's guidelines. So, I'm not being a jerk here. I'm just curious as to what the confusion is on the matter. Did something happen I'm not aware of yet?

On edit: I found the post I'd seen earlier after replying to yours. I'm sorry if I sound painfully confused in your thread, it wasn't my intention even if it was in part the reality. I've read the other thread which I now realize is the one I saw earlier, and still don't understand what the contention is regarding this fact. If it weren't an issue why would the CDC recommend all textiles be removed from the rooms of infected persons before they were placed into them? SMH and still confused here.

[LisaL]

6. When he went to the hospital the second time, his relative took his blanket with her into the ER and

kept it next to her while sitting in the ER.

[herding cats]

8. Thank you.

I'd not heard anything about that yet. I'm behind the curve this evening and trying to figure out what I've missed it seems. This explains why this is being discussed quite well.

My thanks for your reply.

On edit: It's usually the caregivers who come down with Ebola. My thoughts are with her.

[Warpy]

7. If you pull it off somebody who's bleeding out and chew on it

of course you can.

[herding cats]

11. While it's not a probable cause of transmission it is a "possible" one.

Do by any chance have the link to what started this discussion? I don't want to say anything which could be taken out of context and have no idea what the thought process here is at the moment.

I will say that textiles can potentially harbor this specific virus. Being cautious of the potential and using proper precautions and hygiene is recommended. If this was a caregiver we're speaking of here, then the blanket is an aside. Their real risk comes from caring for the sick person. Which by no means is to say they will become sick, just that their chances are much higher for being a caregiver to a person sick with Ebola. However, I'm unclear on the details and suspect I'm way off base on this one.

[davidn3600]

9. What I want to know is...

Say this scenario...
Someone infected with Ebola boards a plane. They then develop symptoms on the flight. They vomit and have diarrhea. In the lavatory. If someone on that plane goes into that lavatory afterwords, what's the chance of them being infected?

Dr. Bradley got infected even though he was taking all precautions. He still has no idea how he got it.

[uppityperson]

14. It depends on a number of factors.

At what stage of the disease was the sick person because they get more contagious as the disease progresses?
Does the next person have and openings in theor skin, cuts, abrasions, etc because those would allow access to the virus?
Does the person wash their hands well, using a clean noncontaminated paper towel to shut off the water and open the door?

It would be nice to have exact answers to your questions, I agree. But unfortunately, it depends. However, it sounds like most of the cases result in people who are caregivers for the ill. They take care of those who are sick, contagious, dead. Then they get sick, and the next person takes care of them through death, repeat repeat repeat. Not all, but from what I have read, the great majority. Adding in the lack of adequate healthcare facilities, equipment, caregivers and the custom of hand washing, touching, patting the extremely contagious dead people.

The problem is not that it is so easy to catch, but that it is so deadly when caught. That is the ending of the article also, and why hazmat suits are worn.

[LostInAnomie]

10. Apparently, it's contagious enough that you can get it from...

... helping a sick woman from a car to her home.

[uppityperson]

12. Are you assuming MrDuncan carrying a woman with bodily fluids on her was his only exposure?

or are you pointing out that carrying someone who is very contagious is a way to become infected?

Or do you mean someone else?

I do not understnd who you mean. Thank you for clarifying.

[LostInAnomie]

13. I'm saying if Duncan's story is true...

... that his contact with that woman was enough to infect him.

I don't know what bodily fluids she had on her. Sweat is most likely. If contact with a sweaty person is enough to infect you, that's pretty damn contagious to me.

[uppityperson]

15. I thought I read that she was vomitting, had diarrhea. She died the next day I think, though I

would not swear to that without looking it up. But that is what I recall. And I do not know if he said he'd had other contact. I have read that people get more contagious the longer they are sick, with dead bodies being really contagious, so if it was right before she died, that makes sense.

The whole thing is awful, I feel so bad for all the people involved in W Africa, so scary, sad, awful.

[Barack_America]

19. She was also having generalized seizures, so we know there was urine...

...and our Mr. Duncan was carrying her legs.

By the by, the family told the cab driver that she was miscarrying, swearing that she did not have Ebola. I wonder what they told Mr. Duncan?

[herding cats]

16. Mr Duncan has no story

He's said nothing that we know of as to his exposure to the virus. For all we know he was told the woman he handled was sick from pregnancy related issues the same as the taxi driver was.

He has no official statement that we've heard tell of so far. Let us not put words into his mouth until, and if, he can himself.

[Barack_America]

17. But not contagious enough that you can be the cab driver...

Sitting in the front seat, breathing the same air, but NEVER actually touching the patient, while you drive her to 4 hospitals and back home, and become infected. They interviewed the cab driver the other day, he's fine, the only one to not get Ebola out of the situation (day 20 after exposure, by my count), and the only one in the cab that had no direct contact.

[LostInAnomie]

18. Someone on here posted a link...

... from the CDC earlier the said if you have spent time within three feet of someone infected, you should consider yourself exposed.

[Barack_America]

20. Probably a good rule of thumb.

But exposure never guarantees infection. It would have been enough to get the driver quarantined for observation here, but it ultimately wasn't enough to get him infected.

[flobee1]

21. that has been on my mind also!

it may very well be hard to spread, but it seems to be spreading just fine in africa, and I have a hunch they are not purposely ingesting the virus.....