The doctor told about the possible transmission of infections through snacks

The habit of eating chips and nuts from the same package with friends can pose a threat to health. In this way, you can get SARS, flu, and even "catch" herpes. Olga Ulankina, Candidate of Medical Sciences, expert at the Hemotest Laboratory, told Izvestia about this on June 15.

According to the expert, most respiratory infections are spread by airborne droplets. However, it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of infection when eating snacks from the general package.

"For influenza and SARS, this path is not the main one, but it is possible. The mechanism here is contact: pathogenic particles with saliva fall into the hands of a sick person, then end up on products or on the inner surface of the package and then are transferred to the mucous membranes of a healthy person while eating or touching the face. Influenza viruses can persist on surfaces for up to several days, so infection is quite real," Ulankina explained.

According to her, not only flu and SARS can be transmitted through common food. Any bacterial and viral agents that are resistant to drying are dangerous. For example, these include the herpes simplex virus of the first type, the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, as well as pathogens of intestinal infections — rotaviruses, noroviruses and Staphylococcus aureus. The latter is especially active in multiplying on salty and fatty snacks, causing food poisoning.

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In addition, the doctor added, it is possible to get infections when drinking drinks from the same bottle. In this case, there is a direct exchange of saliva. This is how not only many of the above microorganisms are transmitted, but also the Epstein—Barr virus, as well as cytomegalovirus.

"To reduce the risk of infection, it is enough to follow simple hygiene rules, familiar from childhood. You can not eat with dirty hands and drink from shared glasses or bottles. It is better to pour snacks into individual containers. If you need to share water, it is better to pour it into disposable cups that you can buy at any store. It is important to wash your hands before eating, even if they seem clean. If it is not possible to do this outdoors, you should use antiseptic or wet wipes. These simple measures help to preserve health and reduce the risk of infection of loved ones," Ulankina concluded.

Lyubov Stankevich, PhD, Director of Laboratory Medicine and Manufacturing at LabQuest Medical Company, reported on February 6 that acute respiratory viral infections are often perceived as a mild illness accompanied by a runny nose, cough and fever. However, in practice, any respiratory infection, both viral and bacterial, can lead to serious complications.