Here I am with yet another odd question! :)
Let's say someone is contagious with a cold or the flu, and that they have some of the virus on their fingers (perhaps from coughing into their hand).
Then, let's say they pick up a cookie and put it down again. Would the cookie become "infected" because it was touched by fingers that had the virus on them? And if the cookie IS indeed infected, could I actually get sick with their cold or flu if I ATE the cookie?
This didn't happen to me personally. I'm asking because of a disagreement with my mom, in connection with the tradition of holiday cookie exchanges. She thinks eating cookies handled by sick people is an easy way to get sick yourself. I think that unless you have open sores in your mouth (for the virus to infiltrate), you probably WON'T get sick from eating the cookies.
Any thoughts on this? Thanks! :)
2006-11-22 10:18:36 · 5 answers · asked by scary shari 5 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Infectious Diseases
Just a friendly correction to duc602 (the last person to answer) -- botulism is caused by a BACTERIA, not a virus. It's surprising you don't know this. :(
You're right that bacteria *does* spread easily via food, but (as I wrote above) I was only inquiring about VIRUSES like colds and flu.
2006-11-29 03:16:28 · update #1
It all depends on two things. First, what time of "infection" is it? The type of germ or microbe that causes the infection is important because different ones can survive for different periods of time outside the body. Second, how long has it been since the cookie was handled before you eat it?
It's possible to get sick by doing this in the same way it's possible to get sick by sitting next to someone who is sick. When it comes to cookies, I personally wouldn't take it out of a sick persons hands and into my mouth, but I wouldn't worry if it had been a day or two.
2006-11-22 10:24:09 · answer #1 · answered by kildarner 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Yes, you can. Let's say an infected person sneezes or coughs into thier hand, then touches the cookie. The virus could therefore be transfered to you by eating the cookie.
2006-11-27 01:53:52 · answer #2 · answered by peridotglow@sbcglobal.net 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm not 100% sure, but I would say no that you wouldn't get the infection.
2006-11-22 10:51:29 · answer #3 · answered by heartyangel98 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
yes its called botulism
2006-11-29 00:11:56 · answer #4 · answered by duc602 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I would think the saliva would burn it straight away!
So No you wont get the virus.
2006-11-22 10:21:21 · answer #5 · answered by Geolove 3 · 0⤊ 5⤋