Outlets Share Insight from Infectious Disease Expert

As seen on MSN.com, News-Medical.net, and several other online outlets, infectious disease physician Carl Abraham, M.D., assistant professor at NYITCOM-Arkansas, armed passengers with tips to avoid coming into contact with common airplane germs. Among other points, he notes that airplane lavatories are a hotspot for germs, including those that transmit norovirus, an infection also known to spread on cruise ships.

“In general, the surfaces of public restrooms are frequently contaminated with fecal flora, bacteria found in stool. Airplane restrooms that are shared between passengers are no exception,” says Abraham. “And, although airlines clean the lavatory between flights, their use during the flight results in contamination of the toilet, sink handles, door handles—inside and outside, and especially the floors. Bacteria from the bathroom can also track into the cabin on the bottom of our shoes.”

Given this, Abraham advises passengers to open and close lavatory door handles with a sanitizing wipe, use toilet seat covers, and close the lid before flushing.