AileenMarty

The biggest misconception is its fatality rate. Whether a person survives or doesn't is greatly dependent on when they present for treatment, having appropriate treatment and where they get it.

1. The only people who should be worried are the ones that were in close contact with the Ebola patient in Texas while he was symptomatic. It's a public health emergency of international concern, we have to have a mechanism to rapidly recognize individuals that may have this disease, unfortunately the system right now is just voluntary.

2. HIV

There is no North American outbreak; there is one single case. There may be 1, 2, 3 or 4 more individuals amongst the almost 100 who were in contact with the index case in Dallas when he was symptomatic. However, because they are under isolation and being monitored, they cannot transmit the infection and lead to an actual outbreak in the United States.

The reason it is difficult to contain is because it was not recognized for many months after it had started affecting people, killing people and traveling from one country to another. By the time the outbreak was recognized and that an international response was mounted, it was already in 3 countries and had spread to urban areas. Never before in the history of Ebola outbreaks has there been an outbreak that has involved major metropolitan areas and capital cities. The culture and habits of the affected population has also facilitated the spread and continuation of this infection. For example, burial practices, superstitions, etc.

It is absolutely critical to treat infected patients, not only for their sake but in order to end the outbreak and do our best to keep Ebola zaire (the current strain) from becoming endemic in West Africa (if at all possible), a place it had never been before.

The patients with Ebola who were college students in Nigeria were given laptops to take their exams from the isolation ward. So not to worry - you will be able to take your midterms.

How well a patient does is largely dependent on how soon after they become symptomatic do they receive appropriate treatment, regardless of where they are. As long as US health care workers are acutely aware that another patient may present, as the Dallas case did, and do not allow that patient to go home while they are symptomatic, and begin treatment immediately, then the chances for survival for that individual are very good and the chances that that individual can spread the disease are reduced dramatically.