"Please be patient with my lack of knowledge about this infection--as I mentioned before, I do not possess a medical background and really have not found out much information on transmission routes...."

Pam, do not ever apologize for your lack of medical background.  You are willing to ask questions and learn now, and that is the most important thing.  Many people with degrees in the health professions learned what they know long ago, and have done little to update their information or stay current with recent trends, even in their fields.  

It is not your background that is important, overall (though it does help you get your foot in a doorway or two).   Look how on some topics many of us with medical/hospital backgrounds have totally different understandings.  What is important is doing some research, so you can then ask questions of those whose expertise you value and trust.

This is what Lactnet is for.

Keep on asking, keep on learning, keep on teaching.  Chanita, San Francisco