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Infect risks for children Viruses on plastic toys can remain for hours
As protection against infectious diseases, it is usually recommended to stay away from infected persons. But that alone is not enough. Certain viruses can survive for hours on plastic toys. For children, the toys can thus become a health risk.
Health risks through children's toys
Even if the game is so beautiful, experts warn again and again against certain health hazards through children's toys. For example, scientists at Frankfurt's Goethe University reported last year on a health risk from environmental hormones in baby teething rings. Also allergenic or even carcinogenic substances are sometimes found in toys. But not only ingredients can be a health risk, but also the handling of the toy. If this is made of plastic, viruses can be on it that can lead to infection even after a long time.
Some viruses can survive for hours on plastic toys. This becomes a risk of infection for children. (Image: Kristin Gründler / fotolia.com) Viruses survive for hours on plastic toys
As US researchers have now discovered, viruses with a virus envelope, such as the flu virus, can survive for hours on plastic toys. This toy thus becomes an underestimated risk of infection for children. This is shown by a study by scientists from the "Georgia State University" in Atlanta, published in the journal "Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal". According to the authors, infectious virions were sometimes found on a toy after one day in the experiment. The experts therefore urge increased precautions in dealing with toys.
Children are particularly susceptible to infections
For example, during the flu season Infected to not distribute viruses, few people worry that they could spread pathogens over inanimate objects. But study author Richard L. Bearden II warned in a statement from the college: "Children are prone to infectious diseases because they put their hands and foreign bodies in their mouths and their immune systems are not fully developed." To demonstrate the survival of the pathogen used the research team is a bacteriophage, a virus that attacks bacteria.
Humidity plays a big role
It turned out that the relative humidity apparently plays a huge role. According to the researchers, scientists were still able to detect infectious virions after 40 hours at 40 percent, but only one millionth of the original amount. But at 60 percent humidity even a full percent of the virus was still active after a full day. "The research team would probably have found infectious virions even after more than 24 hours," said Bearden II. According to the study, the virus in the study forms a virus envelope that allows it to survive so long outside of cells. The pathogens of many infectious diseases work similarly and are therefore likely to remain infectious on plastic toys for as long. Examples of such viruses include influenza (influenza) and coroanaviruses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)..
Banish toys from waiting rooms
Although it has been known for some time that toys can become a risk of infection, what is new is the knowledge of how long the partially extremely dangerous viruses can survive on the objects. "I think parents, day care centers, doctors' offices, and other places where children share toys should implement some decontamination strategy so that the toy does not provide a reservoir for disease," said Bearden II. According to the experts, it would be useful to have toys from waiting rooms to remove. Decontamination should also include other shared surfaces such as door handles or lift buttons. (Ad)