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There is so much information throughout the media currently regarding Ebola. Ebola, also known as Ebola hemorrhagic virus, is quite a terrifying disease that begins with non-specific signs. It was first identified in Africa in 1976. In the early stages, patients are generally lethargic, feverish and have sore throats. It can mimic the flu or strep throat. It can quickly progress to internal and external bleeding with significant fluid losses from vomiting and diarrhea. The mortality can be up to 90%. There are 5 strains of the virus currently identified. It is considered extremely infectious for even a small amount of the virus can cause issues, however it is not extremely contagious for direct contact with bodily fluids is required for disease transmission.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the Center of Disease Control (CDC) there is not a single documented case of a person transmitting the disease to a cat or dog. There are also no cases of a cat or dog transmitting it to a person. There is no documentation of a cat or a dog contracting Ebola at this time, although there are also no Ebola tests for pets. The current research believes that people contract Ebola from handling bushmeat or afflicted bats. Non-human primates (which may be sold as bushmeat) are extremely susceptible to Ebola and it is fatal to them. There are studies that have illustrated the spread of Ebola from swine to non-human primates in laboratory settings.
Speaking of labs, in the late 80s right here in Reston there was an outbreak in some macaques, which are a type of monkey. It was initially thought to be Simian hemorrhagic fever virus but after additional testing it was proven to be a new strain of Ebola which was named Reston ebolavirus. Crazy that Ebola was right in our backyard in a research facility!
Although the likelihood of us coming in to contact with Ebola is incredibly low, it is good to be informed. The current recommendation from the AVMA is that if a domestic pet comes in to contact with a person with Ebola virus that we contact a public health official. Although this is something that is low on our radar, it is important to get information from accurate reliable sources. I recommend continuing to follow the CDC website at and the AVMA website at to know when more information becomes available. The CDC and AVMA have issued guidelines
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