Wildman800: You're correct; it looks like the CDC has updated their website to clarify what they mean by "casual contact":

Casual contact is defined as a) being within approximately 3 feet (1 meter) or within the room or care area for a prolonged period of time (e.g., healthcare personnel, household members) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment (i.e., droplet and contact precautions–see Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations); or b) having direct brief contact (e.g., shaking hands) with an EVD case while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment (i.e., droplet and contact precautions–see Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations). At this time, brief interactions, such as walking by a person or moving through a hospital, do not constitute casual contact.

(from http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/case-definition.html)

Side note -- I thought the abbreviation for the current Ebola virus was EBOV (Ebolavirus), but it looks as if EVD (Ebola Virus Disease) ZEBOV (Zaire Ebolavirus) and EHF (Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever) are also being bandied about. The fact that there's at least five species under the proposed "Ebolavirus" genus makes it even more confusing:

http://www.virology.ws/2012/08/07/is-it-ebolavirus-or-ebola-virus/

Whatever the name, it certainly is a nasty bug.

Thoughts and prayers going out to the victims and healthcare workers in the trenches.


--M