The transmission methods is the part of this story that I am watching closely. From very reliable sources I have learned one can catch Ebola from
contact with infected animals (pigs, bats, monkeys)
contact with "droppings" of infected animals
eating any part of an infected animal
touching anything excreted (blood, sweat, urine, fetal matter) by an infected person.
any part of your skin touches any part of an infected persons skin
inhaling the droplets an infected person exhales via sneeze cough.
touching any item an infected person has recently touched.
touching a hard surface that has recently been in contact with anything wore, excreted or touched by an infected person who is dead or nearly dead from Ebola.
I am sure there are other means of Ebola spreading. It appears to me that Ebola is very contagious and could easily spread in a high density US city. I also think things are much worse then we are being told. Only 1500 infected? Only 800+ dead in West Africa? Really? I think way more.
I’m not going to live my life in dreadful fear of something that’s not widespread. I’m not saying it couldn’t be, but I also don’t live in a major population center where it could spread over the course of a few days. I’m not deliberately spreading misinformation, this is information I’ve gleaned from different sources.
You mentioned infected animals, and I pointed out in parts of Africa that these bodies are being consumed by local predators which are then exposing other animals or people. If they’re a food animal, then those consuming the animal are getting sick.
Same goes with inhaling sneezes or coughs. This is obviously direct exposure, same as it would be if a TB patient coughed on you.
Now the touching of items or skin of infected, that I’ve not read. Are you saying that the very oils of a person’s body, those left behind on doorknobs and bus seats, are contagious as well? I don’t think that’s the case. I’ve read blood, vaginal secretions, semen, sputum, CSF, urine, and feces are contagion carriers, but since most of us avoid those, I’m not too worried about it. Also, if your skin is intact, accidental, brief exposure to one of these fluids is not a death sentence.
What you’re proposing is that every excretion down to simple sweat touching a finger is going to infect you, and I’m dubious of that claim.