The Transmission of Ebola Virus The virus spreads from fruit bats to animals (perhaps by eating bits of fruit the bats drop?) Then animals to other animals, or to humans And then from humans to other humans Humans seem to contract it from infected animals (or fruit bats) by handling the ill or recently dead animals, or preparing them for eating (often by skinning and cutting them up for cooking) But it is most often contracted from coming in contact with the body fluids of sick humans (tears, saliva, sweat, vomit, urine, diarrhea, blood) especially when caring for them, or burying them