Medical science is going through rapid advancement and frequent changes. In every few years, new knowledge on a particular topic is popping in which may be completely different than the existing one. Continuous researches done by medical experts are contributing to the changes. Such new knowledge, the mode of transmission of flu-virus, has recently come into the light. And the new evidence will definitely change our perspective to the flu.
What did we know about the mode of transmission of the flu virus?
The principal method was by inhaling the drops containing flu virus in the air ejected by a person's sneezing or coughing who is already infected. By touching a surface or object contaminated with the flu virus was also responsible for the transmission.
What is the new knowledge?
A patient suffering from flu can spread the virus by normal breathing. Sneezing or coughing is not necessary to spread the virus.
The new research:
The research was conducted by Dr Donald Milton, a professor of environmental health at the University of Maryland, and his colleagues. They analyzed the air around the 142 known patients suffering from the flu. They found that 48% of the sample collected from the air around a flu patient who was just breathing normally, neither coughing nor sneezing, contained detectable influenza viruses.
Dr Donald Milton commented,
"We found that flu cases contaminated the air around them with infectious virus just by breathing, without coughing or sneezing,"
He also affirmed that the first day of illness is the most virulent period when they (flu-infected patients) discharge the highest quantity of viruses by exhaling air.
"People with flu generate infectious aerosols [tiny droplets that stay suspended in the air for a long time] even when they are not coughing, and especially during the first days of illness,"
He gave his opinion that having or not having coughing/sneezing, a flu patient should stay home, shouldn't come to the workplace to infect others.
"So when someone is coming down with influenza, they should go home and not remain in the workplace and infect others."
The researchers also found that sneezing or coughing do not add an extra load of a virus to the environment, the same as breathing.
Normally doctors or health professionals advise general people to keep surfaces clean, wash hands carefully all the time and avoid flu-infected people who are coughing/sneezing to protect themselves from contracting the flu. This new study will change the pattern of advice. Now we have to warn the public that spending time with a flu patient or simple face to face talk might be sufficient enough to infect them.
0 Comments