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 results of which was published in the journal ‘Physics of fluid’.
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.
Previous studies had already shown that the stools of Infected Coronavirus can contain Material.
Flushing causes an Aerosol-clouds
The physicists 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 explain. In the case of toilet types with two water influences the aerosols flew even faster to the top.
“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.
Corona viruses are spread 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.
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 patients 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 at 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 4805 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.
Bowel problems as a Symptom of Coronavirus
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, to 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.”
Sources
- Li, Y. et al. (2020): Can a toilet promote virus transmission? From a fluid dynamics perspective, retrieved on 17.06.2020: https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0013318
- Parasa, S. et al (2020): Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Fecal Viral Shedding in Patients With Coronavirus Disease in 2019, archived from the original on 17.06.2020: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2767009
Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa)
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