Stay ahead of it
Prevention that actually works
Every pathogen spreads differently, so prevention differs too. Cyclosporiasis is about your food and water; Hantavirus is about rodents; COVID-19 is airborne; Ebola is about body-fluid contact. Here is what matters for each.
Eating fresh produce or water contaminated with the parasite. It is NOT spread person-to-person — the parasite needs days to weeks in the environment to become infectious.
- Wash all fresh produce thoroughly under running water
- Be cautious with imported fresh herbs and pre-packaged salad mixes
- Treatment is antibiotics (TMP-SMX) — see a doctor for prolonged watery diarrhea
- Routine washing helps but does not fully guarantee removal — source safety matters
Person-to-person through respiratory droplets and airborne aerosols, especially indoors and in crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
- Stay up to date with recommended vaccines and boosters
- Improve indoor ventilation and air filtration
- Mask in high-risk or crowded indoor settings
- Test and isolate when symptomatic
Direct contact with blood or body fluids of an infected (symptomatic) person or contaminated surfaces. It is NOT airborne and not spread before symptoms begin.
- Avoid contact with body fluids of symptomatic patients
- Rigorous infection control and PPE for healthcare workers
- Vaccines (e.g. Ervebo) exist for at-risk populations in outbreak zones
- Safe burial practices in affected communities
Breathing in aerosolized particles from the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents — often when cleaning enclosed spaces like cabins, sheds, or barns. Not spread person-to-person.
- Air out closed spaces before cleaning; avoid stirring up dust
- Wet down droppings with disinfectant — never sweep or vacuum dry
- Seal homes and cabins to keep rodents out
- Wear gloves and a mask when handling rodents or nests