College Students Spread Germs in Campus Housing
Dorms are Breeding Grounds for Lice, Bacteria, and Viral Infections
Jul 18, 2009
Visualize sixteen students living in a dormitory hall and sharing a common bathroom/shower area. Imagine the partying – guys and gals living it up – and the consequences from drinking too much beer. Consider the piled up dirty laundry stuffed under a desk, the sharing of clothes and personal items. Think about the health hazards – the flu virus and body lice, just to name two – a student is exposed to during any given semester. The vision is bad enough, but what is not seen is sickening. Literally.
The Health Hazards of Living on a University or College Campus
College men and women are equally guilty when it comes to less-than-sanitary living conditions. The unhealthy few contaminate everyone on the floor, making everyone sick. All it takes is one person with a cold and the germs spread like wildfire. One careless sneeze and "droplet spread" – a term given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – can contaminate practically everything in a small dorm room. But a cold is only the beginning.
What Causes Illness Such as a Stomach Virus in a College Dorm?
Improper handling of food is one cause of gastroenteritis – aka stomach flu or stomach virus. Bacteria breed in foods not properly refrigerated or in foods undercooked, but contamination also occurs when bacteria get into food from a person who has not washed his hands after using the bathroom. One can logically deduce there is a fair amount of snacking and eating going on where young adults are allowed to have microwaves and refrigerators in the rooms.
The Web site, MedicineNet.com, gives information in the article, "Gastroenteritis" (no author provided), and states, "Yes, viral gastroenteritis is contagious. Outbreaks (in which many people are affected) occur primarily from eating or drinking contaminated foods or beverages. The viruses that cause gastroenteritis also are spread through close contact with infected persons through contamination with stool or vomitus." Dorm students live in close contact, sharing toilets, sinks, showers, and food.
Students May Come in Contact with Body Lice and Other Personal Hygiene Horrors
It takes one infested person to start an outbreak of "crabs" – body lice. College students can catch body lice by sitting on a contaminated toilet seat, by having physical contact such as sex with a person who has body lice, or by sitting on an infested bed. Crabs are parasites – insects that live on the clothing or bedding of the infested person. The bugs move to the skin to feed and are barely visible to the naked eye. For information on body lice, check out the CDC Web site article, "Body Lice: Fact Sheet."
The ladies are not the only guilty party when it comes to sharing makeup, clothes, towels, bath shoes, hair items, and so forth. The guys share many of the same items and germs are easily spread from one person to another – from one room to another.
What Can a Student Do to Avoid Getting Sick in the College Dorm?
Wipe down everything in the dorm room with a green multipurpose cleaner (Clorox, Lysol) before unpacking. After that, it's a matter of being aware of where germs and harmful bacteria lurk. Will other students think it's strange to act so "paranoid" about keeping a clean environment? A few will be tempted to think "overkill", but it is better to be safe than to be sick in bed.
- Wash hands thoroughly and frequently. Keep hands away from nose and mouth.
- Try to refrain from touching kitchen and/or bathroom sink faucets by grasping the handles with a paper towel.
- Wash hands after touching public kitchen appliances such as a refrigerator or microwave that is available for all students on the hall to use. Refrain from using a microwave in the cafeteria or snack bar unless hands can be washed before eating.
- Wipe down toilet seats and stall handles/locks before each use with disposable wipes.
- Wear flip-flops or suitable footwear into the shower area.
- Don't share personal items, including towels, cell phones, TV (remote) and computers. If an item is shared with someone else, then wipe it down or wash it after use.
- Protect bedding from visitors by covering the entire bed with an attractive sheet or light blanket.
- Keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on the desk for quick use.
- Many colleges offer free flu shots. Find out if this service is available and take advantage of it.
- If one does get sick, then monitor symptoms closely and try to stay away from others as much as possible. Wash hands frequently, use tissues and dispose of them immediately after use.
- Hopefully, roommates will cooperate when it comes to cleanliness; but if not, insist that any clutter, dirty clothes, food, etc. be kept on his or her side of the room.
- Clean the entire room often and open the window to air it out if possible.
College students are housed in small dorm rooms, but germs are free to spread throughout the residence building. Elevator buttons, vending machines, stair banisters, laundry room, lobby bathrooms, all harbor germs.
There are advantages to being a resident student. Dormitory students can socialize 24/7 and there are many group activities from which to choose. A lot of sharing goes on in the dorms between students. There are also a lot of germs breeding and spreading between rooms. Play it safe when going off to college; follow common sense rules to keep belongings and the dorm room clean. Practice good hygiene to stay healthy.
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