How long do germs survive after a sneeze?

The researchers found that some germs from a sneeze traveled all the way to farthest petri dish, 13 feet away. And although 90% of the bacteria died within 10 seconds, some of the germs survived in all the petri dishes for up to 45 minutes. There was enough bacteria left to spread disease. With further analysis,…

How are germs tested after a sneeze and cough?

The researchers had the two participants cough and sneeze in a specially constructed room. It contained open Petri dishes at various distances from the subjects, up to 13 feet away. They tested the Petri dishes for live bacteria at time intervals after a sneeze.

What happens to germs when you sneeze in a petri dish?

They tested the Petri dishes for live bacteria at time intervals after a sneeze. They tested after 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 40 seconds, 15 minutes, and 45 minutes. The researchers found that some germs from a sneeze traveled all the way to farthest petri dish, 13 feet away.

What kind of bacteria can you get from a sneeze?

“We wanted to find out how bacteria-carrying droplets expelled by sneezes or coughs travel such distances and remain able to infect other people after such a long time.” P. aeruginosa bacteria is a common, multidrug resistant pathogen, which can cause hospital infections such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and sepsis.

How does one sneeze and cough spread germs?

“Sneeze and cough germs spread far and fast,” explained Dr. Stephanie Kelleher, a Geisinger family physician. “These tiny droplets float through the air and you can get a cold, the flu or another illness when you come into contact with them.”