- With Mayo Clinic internist
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
James Steckelberg, M.D.
Dr. James Steckelberg is chairman of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Mayo Clinic, a consultant and a professor of medicine at Mayo Medical School.
A native of Fremont, Neb., Dr. Steckelberg was a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine as a resident in internal medicine and a fellow in infectious diseases, and is board certified in both. He is the former director of the Infectious Diseases Research Laboratory at Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Steckelberg belongs to numerous professional organizations. He is a founding member of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society of America and a fellow with the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America. He has served on many Mayo Clinic committees and is a member of the Department of Medicine Leadership Committee and the executive committee of the Division of Infectious Diseases. He also served on the editorial boards of "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" and "Antimicrobial Agents & Chemotherapy" and has been an editorial reviewer for more than a dozen publications.
Dr. Steckelberg's research interests include experimental models of infection, epidemiology of infection, and antimicrobial resistance and therapy of bacterial infections.
Definition (3)
- H1N1 flu (swine flu): How serious is the global threat?
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) pandemic: What does it mean?
- What's the difference between H1N1 flu and influenza A?
Symptoms (2)
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) symptoms: Self-care for the flu
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) symptoms: Is fever always present?
Complications (1)
- H1N1 flu (swine flu) and pregnancy: Are special precautions necessary?
Prevention (5)
- Flu school closing: Any benefit?
- Flu vaccine: Safe for people with egg allergy?
- Flu mask: Should I wear one?
- see all in Prevention
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Question
Flu germs: How long can they live outside the body?
How long do cold and flu germs stay alive after infected people hack and sneeze all over everything?
Answer
from James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
It varies, depending partly on where the germ-laden droplets fall. Experiments with specific cold and flu germs have shown potential survival times ranging from a few minutes to 48 hours or more. How long such germs remain capable of infecting you in day-to-day life is harder to say.
Researchers have repeatedly found that cold and flu germs generally remain active longer on stainless steel, plastic and similar hard surfaces than on fabric and other soft surfaces. On any surface, though, flu viruses seem to live longer than cold viruses do. Other factors, such as the amount of virus deposited on a surface and the temperature and humidity of the environment, also have effects on how long cold and flu germs stay active outside the body.
The rapid spread of some colds and types of flu certainly suggests that indirect transmission is common. You might, for example, catch the flu or a cold from rubbing your nose after handling an object an infected person christened with a sneeze a few moments ago. That said, it's important to note that cold and flu viruses primarily spread when an uninfected person has direct contact — a handshake, for example — with an infected person.
The best way to avoid becoming infected with a cold or flu is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water or with an alcohol-based sanitizer. Also, try to notice and stop yourself when you're about to rub your eyes or bite your nails. And — most important — get a seasonal flu vaccine every year and the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccine when it's available. Some people will always be careless about spreading their germs, but you don't have to catch them.
Next questionH1N1 flu (swine flu): How serious is the global threat?
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