On the surface Ebola and chocolate have nothing in common. One causes fear and death while the other brings both happiness and pleasure.

However, the two are linked in ways the average American didn’t realize until now.

Did you know that more than three quarters of the world’s cocoa is produced in West Africa?

This happens to be the SAME area of the continent experiencing a terrible Ebola epidemic.

Sadly, wealthy nations such as the United States have reportedly been slow to offer any sort of aid in the fight against this deadly disease. It was even revealed that an Ebola vaccine was shelved by American policy makers.

Were the American people outraged? Not really. At least not until Ebola became a domestic problem.

The previous indifference of United States citizens may have only served to hurt us as we find ourselves bracing for a possible Ebola epidemic of our own.

Chocolate factors into our concerns in an entirely different way.

Accoring to Politico, the dessert food that many U.S. citizens use to comfort themselves could be about to get expensive.

VERY expensive.

Especially if Ebola is continued to allowed to ravish Western Africa without much effort or assistance.

Should You Stock Up On Chocolate Bars Because Of Ebola? http://t.co/mZgWtG8m4j pic.twitter.com/mvffOfNcVT

— Morning Edition (@MorningEdition) October 15, 2014

American companies Nestlé, Hershey and Mars have all reportedly responded to pleas by the World Cocoa Foundation to offer support to affected cocoa farmers.

While the American government has pledged millions of dollars in aid, it seems that the American people have found something that they can care about outside of domestic Ebola fears—The loss of chocolate.

Ebola threatens chocolate supply | http://t.co/WYCBXzDGbF @Nestle @hersheys #Halloween pic.twitter.com/E1HGkKaZ9G

— Fox News Leisure (@fxnleisure) October 14, 2014

The very real fear some have attached to losing out on this sweet food or having to pay more says a lot about American citizens.

And NONE of it is very flattering.

Are you more concerned about catching Ebola or the potential loss of chocolate?