Rumor :Using public toilets can cause viruses.
/✗:This is a wrong statement
The human immune system boasts a robust protective mechanism capable of fighting off invading foreign pathogens. Therefore, under normal circumstances, the human body is not susceptible to infections.
Moreover, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are spread in the form of pathogens, and toilet seats are generally not conducive to the survival of common viruses.
At the same time, there are, of course, exceptions. One example is genital warts, caused by a spherical virus with many small protrusions on its surface, known as HPV. It demonstrates strong viability. Therefore, genital warts can occasionally be spread through indirect contact.
Given this, it seems that “genital warts” might be transmitted via public toilets!
In fact, that’s not the case. Even though it can be spread through contact, three conditions must be met for the disease to be transmitted to the human body:
- Firstly, the pathogen must be present in sufficient quantity, meaning the toilet you are sitting on has just been used by someone with genital warts.
- Secondly, you must have wounds on your buttocks to allow potential viral infection.
- Additionally, your immunity must be sufficiently compromised, such as having some serious illnesses or taking medications that suppress the immune system for a long time.
Only when these conditions are met can genital warts be transmitted through sitting on a toilet seat. Imagine how low the probability of this happening is.
