The Ebola virus is a highly infectious, often fatal agent spread through direct contact with bodily fluids.

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The deaths have stoked heightened fear of the virus, a highly infectious, often fatal agent spread through direct contact with bodily fluids.

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Other impacts associated with inadequate sanitation include an estimated 260 million people infected with schistosomiasis, a potentially fatal parasitic infection spread through contact with contaminated water.

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"New Zealand was a wire contact and it had fatal results and that's certainly the balloonist's biggest worry, " he said.

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EHV-1 can be transmitted through the air from respiratory infection or by close contact between horses and although it can be treated, in some cases it can be fatal.

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