Everyday germs

PhysiologyRocks

I was buying a can of fanta the other day, and my seven-year-old cousin told me to get a bottle instead because of germs on top of the can.

I thought this was quite funny. I know that she thinks like this because her mother does. There's a huge increase in fussiness as of late.

Does this significantly impair immune development? Is it definitely, or only possibly linked to things like asthma? And where should the lines be drawn between cleanliness, filth and just good sense?

nesf

I imagine it would have to be an obsessive level of cleanliness for it to make a big difference but generally yeah, not exposing young children to any germs isn't a good idea. Immune systems learn by doing so to speak.

PhysiologyRocks

When I was that age we used all slide down a muddy hill outside. It was great. I still live there and you'd rarely see kids in the mud now.

Will going outside when it's cold make you more susceptible to illnesses, give your white blood cells a good workout, or actually do nothing?

Tree

We're designed to operate in many outdoor temperatures, we regulate our own body temperature. I doubt the cold alone will increase significantly your susceptibility to disease apart from when you're banjaxed from the hypothermia.


also, for some reason, i feel obliged to go "nyom" to everyday germs.

PhysiologyRocks

Tree wrote: »

We're designed to operate in many outdoor temperatures, we regulate our own body temperature. I doubt the cold alone will increase significantly your susceptibility to disease apart from when you're banjaxed from the hypothermia.

I know we regulate our own temperature!!! It's just that there's such a huge "Put on a coat, you'll catch your death of cold" mentality out there! I was just wondering if there was any truth in it at all.

Bottle_of_Smoke

PhysiologyRocks wrote: »

I know we regulate our own temperature!!! It's just that there's such a huge "Put on a coat, you'll catch your death of cold" mentality out there! I was just wondering if there was any truth in it at all.

Think you need to be exposed to a virus to catch a cold. Maybe the cold might make you more vulnerable to a virus, i doubt it makes much difference

Tree

the cold makes a difference to the cold virus in that when the weather turns rubbish, we all congregate together indoors at close quarters, coughing and breathing on each other. very charming and an awesome environment for the virus

PhysiologyRocks

Thanks for the replies.

I know you need the virus to be involved! And about the indoorsy dangers. Am I to take it that there's absolutely no logic behind "wear a coat" other than keeping yourself warm?

And I know about hypothermia, but I'm just asking in terms of going outside in the cold for a very short while, perhaps to a local shop, and the "wear a coat" mentality.

seamus

Tree wrote: »

the cold makes a difference to the cold virus in that when the weather turns rubbish, we all congregate together indoors at close quarters, coughing and breathing on each other. very charming and an awesome environment for the virus

Without pre-empting anyone with a medical background, doesn't colder weather also though cause more body fuilds to be released generally - sniffling noses in the wet & cold, coughing in cold air, etc etc?

Am I to take it that there's absolutely no logic behind "wear a coat" other than keeping yourself warm?

If your body is burning energy doing "other things" then your ability to defend yourself against attack is going to be weakened. So if you're consistently cold, your body is focussing energy on maintaining 37 degrees and your immune system has less resources available to it.
The same effect occurs when someone overtrains at a sport - they are expending so much energy while training and their body is spending so much additional energy repairing the damaged cells that they are more open to infection and illness.

dubcitycentre

PhysiologyRocks wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

I know you need the virus to be involved! And about the indoorsy dangers. Am I to take it that there's absolutely no logic behind "wear a coat" other than keeping yourself warm?

And I know about hypothermia, but I'm just asking in terms of going outside in the cold for a very short while, perhaps to a local shop, and the "wear a coat" mentality.

you seem to "know" about alot of things but still ask the oddest questions.

Dfens

PhysiologyRocks wrote: »

I was buying a can of fanta the other day, and my seven-year-old cousin told me to get a bottle instead because of germs on top of the can.

I thought this was quite funny. I know that she thinks like this because her mother does. There's a huge increase in fussiness as of late.

Does this significantly impair immune development? Is it definitely, or only possibly linked to things like asthma? And where should the lines be drawn between cleanliness, filth and just good sense?

She might have a point at the moment with Swine flu if someone happens to sneeze down on top of the can as it's nicely refridgerated in the cooler waiting to be purchased..........:rolleyes:

Seriously though, as posters have said it seems to be a case of prior exposure with the developing immune system, look up the 'Hygiene Theory' and some studies have indicated that kids in households with pets have fewer allergies and tend to be non-asthmatic compared with those who don't. Bring on the mudpie picnics....:P

PhysiologyRocks

dubcitycentre wrote: »

you seem to "know" about alot of things but still ask the oddest questions.

I understand the fundamentals of biology, so I get homeostasis and the basic functioning of the immune system and the fact that the cold is a virus and requires exposure to be contracted. I'm interested in learning more about development of immunity and separating fact from myth, and I'm wondering about grains of truth in certain myths.

PhysiologyRocks

Dfens wrote: »

She might have a point at the moment with Swine flu if someone happens to sneeze down on top of the can as it's nicely refridgerated in the cooler waiting to be purchased..........:rolleyes:

Yuckers, never thought about that! Still, I'll operate on the basis of "I'm sure I'll be fine". Hasn't killed me so far!

PhysiologyRocks

Well I've checked my books and they say nothing about cold weather making you more susceptible to colds (other than the indoors thing). The closest I've found is that cold weather can put a bit of stress on the immune system, and that was in one of those possibly dodgy "made ridiculously simple" books.