Corona: virus material in human excreta – the risk of infection in toilets?
The number of infections with the Coronavirus SRAS-CoV-2 continues to increase worldwide. According to current knowledge, the Transmission of a novel pathogen occurs mainly from person to person, such as when Talking, coughing or Sneezing. Both droplets as well as aerosols also play a role. Transmission via objects is not excluded. On public toilets might also be a risk of infection.
Several times already was found in Corona-studies of virus material in human excreta. Makes the toilets when flushing to fling Viruses? A specific Detail could be crucial.
When you flush little particles spread in the air
When it comes to risk places for a Corona of infection, could play the public toilets a role. A study by Chinese scientists suggests that, at least, the scientists, the results of which was published in the journal “Physics of Fluids”.
The researchers studied how small particles distribute in the flush of a toilet in the air. It is possible that Virus-loaded Aerosol-clouds could be breathed in by other people, close.
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Previous studies had already shown that the stools of Infected Coronavirus can contain Material.
Risk of infection via Aerosol-clouds
The experts from the University of Yangzhou used detailed computer models, the water and air currents to draw that arise in the rinsing with different toilet types.
Therefore be inhaled produced in the toilet vortex, which is in the Form of Aerosol clouds over the bowl and continued up to a height of almost one Meter, where you are or on surfaces could settle.
Aerosols are a mixture of solid or liquid suspended particles in the air. The few micro-meters small droplets can float a Minute in the air, as the researchers describe. In the case of toilet types with two water influences the aerosols flew even faster to the top.
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“It can be assumed that this speed is even higher, if a toilet is used frequently, such as in the case of a family toilet or a public toilet in a densely populated area,” explains Co-author Ji-Xiang Wang.
The solution was, however, simply close: toilet seat before flushing. However, many of the toilets in the public space, especially in the United States no lid – a fact to which also Clemens Wendtner from Munich, clinic Schwabing, indicating that in an independent comment.
SARS-CoV-2 in the gastro-intestinal tract
The infection Lodge recalls in this context the discussions on the spread of the Virus on cruise ships. “Such a Spreading, I don’t think this is excluded.” In addition, there are more and more studies on the virus load in the stool of COVID-19-patients and in -patients.
Wendtner himself had published, together with the virologist Christian Drosten of the Charité hospital in Berlin, an analysis in the journal “Nature”, in the course of Infection of nine-German-Corona-Ill was reconstructed. It was shown that SARS-CoV-2 increased probably also in the gastro-intestinal tract.
In the stool of Patients, no infectious virus could, however, be documented. “This is, however, samples in the chair is always difficult, because E. coli bacteria always anything overgrow,” says Wendtner. “We but were unable to detect any replication-capable viruses.”
Nevertheless, can not be completely excluded from the fecal excretions of infection risk. At least that’s the warning from researchers and researchers from the American Swedish Medical center, which have been evaluated in a meta-analysis of 29 studies related to gastrointestinal consequences of a COVID-19-disease with a 4.805 patients.
As they report in the journal “JAMA Network Open”, belonged to more than ten percent of all Infected diarrhea, Nausea or vomiting to the symptoms.
Contagion risk is probably rather low
Regardless of the Virus, showed up at 40 percent of the Patients in the chair. “In our analysis of some of the studies in which Sars-CoV-2 RNA from the stool was isolated, it could be the fecal-oral route of Transmission is an additional potential source for the spread of infections,” summarize the physicians.
A possibly important Detail: Only one study reported of viable virus in the stool and the samples of only two out of 153 chair. On dead virus material, but no infection is possible.
For the scientists, the gastrointestinal problems are, therefore, above all other symptoms, the Doctors in the course of a Corona infection should pay attention to; and especially also with a view to appropriate Tests.
Also, Clemens Wendtner noted that stool samples could be straight in children is a diagnostic agent. With a view to the risk of contagion, the toilet issue is more of a side-show.
“It is an interesting aspect, if it ships to toilets in tight spaces such as on a cruise, in trains, planes, Collective centres or asylum homes is,” said the chief doctor. Accordingly, you should not put in the public space on toilet glasses and common hygiene recommendations in mind.
He said: “After the chain of infection is running through the lungs, it is determined relevant, distance rules in public space, and to avoid mass gatherings.” (ad; Source: dpa)