Scabies, syphilis, and other illnesses that can be contracted when shaking hands

Man is a social being and cannot do without information exchange. The traditions of greeting each other differ from culture to culture. But in the modern world, the internationally accepted ritual for meeting is a handshake, in which two different people physically contact and exchange microorganisms.

From a medical point of view, handshakes pose a direct threat to the health of both an individual and society as a whole: the situation with the coronavirus pandemic is a vivid confirmation of this.

When shaking hands, viral (herpes viruses, human papillomaviruses and others), bacterial (for example, impetigo, boils, carbuncles), fungal (mycoses, candidiasis and others) infections, as well as parasites (various helminths, ticks, including the itch mite) …

Of course, in practice, infection does not always occur. This is influenced by several factors:

The general state of human health. Existing diseases of organs and systems, bad habits, poor ecology reduce the immune response and body resistance.
Skin condition. Damage and inflammation of the skin increases the risk of infection entering the body.
The volume of microbial metabolism. The more germs that get on the skin, the higher the risk of getting sick.
Aggressiveness of microbes. They differ from each other in their ability to cause disease.
The duration of the contact. The longer the handshake, the higher the risk that microbial exchange will occur.

Let's consider the main diseases that can be transmitted through handshakes.

Scabies

It is a contagious skin disease caused by the itch mite. It is transmitted from person to person as a result of direct contact, mainly at night, when mites come to the surface of the skin and move. Often there is an asymptomatic or asymptomatic course of the disease.

Some of the typical sites of tick localization are the interdigital spaces and wrists. Therefore, a handshake, especially a long one, carries a direct threat of infection with scabies. Treatment consists in the course application of external agents. It is important to note that all family members living together need to be treated at the same time, and clothes and bed linen should be subjected to special treatment.

Papillomas

These are benign formations on the skin that occur when the human papillomavirus enters through microdamage. The main transmission route is contact. It should be remembered that this is not necessarily contact with papilloma: there is information about the release of the virus without the appearance of typical formations on the skin.

The good news is that the virus does not penetrate the body further than the skin; it is enough to remove the papillomas surgically. The bad news is the long incubation period of the disease. Papilloma can form several years after infection. Also, the virus can be on public items for a long time.

Molluscum contagiosum

A viral disease that manifests itself as a skin lesion with the formation of hemispherical nodules with an indentation in the center. In the nodule itself, white content can be discerned.

Although these elements do not form on the palms, the virus spreads very easily with poor hygiene. Especially if the handshake took place after visiting the toilet: in adults, molluscum contagiosum is often located in the genital area. Treatment is only surgical. Trying to remove the nodules yourself is not recommended - there is a high risk of self-infection in the process.

Herpetic lesions

Herpes viruses are widespread - the vast majority of the world's population is infected with them. These are lifelong infections that make themselves felt when the immune system is weakened or the skin is irritated. If we focus on skin lesions, the most common herpes are type 1 and type 2. Herpes type 1 most often affects the skin in the nasolabial region, and type 2 - the skin of the genital area. This case is characterized by a more aggressive picture of the disease.

Herpetic lesions are very obvious - these are vesicular eruptions (vesicles), which are filled with transparent contents. The skin at the site of the lesion is highly sensitive, painful, itchy. The rashes are grouped on the inflamed skin.

You don't need to have a clinical picture to infect other people. There is a risk of infection during contact and in the absence of rashes - this is an asymptomatic or atypical form of the disease.

Acute respiratory diseases (ARI)

This is a well-known group of bacterial and viral diseases, characterized by damage to the upper respiratory tract and the development of acute catarrhal symptoms. These include discharge from the nostrils, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and sore throat with fever and body aches. These diseases are distinguished by a pronounced seasonality, they are most common in the autumn-winter period.

ARI most often goes away on its own within 5-7 days. If a person has symptoms, he is a danger to others, spreading viruses or bacteria when sneezing, coughing, or talking. Often, it is not the sneezing or coughing itself that is more dangerous, but the surface on which the microparticles sprayed by the patient settle.

Our habit of covering our nose and mouth with our hand when sneezing and coughing is the most common mistake, since we can infect other people by touching surfaces and shaking hands. In the absence of a handkerchief (preferably disposable), it is necessary to sneeze or cough into a bent elbow.

Dermatomycosis

The general name for skin diseases caused by various fungi. People with weakened local skin immunity are most at risk of infection. You can get sick through contact not only with humans, but also with animals, especially stray dogs and cats.

The main symptoms of dermatomycosis can be distinguished: local discoloration of the skin with rounded outlines of red color (such spots can be of different sizes), itching and peeling of the skin with the formation of wet wounds or cracks from which fluid can ooze. A neglected disease manifests itself even more clearly, and crusts may form on the damaged areas.

A sure way to prevent fungal diseases is to maintain body hygiene using soap and wiping dry interdigital areas, daily change of underwear, including socks.

Bacterial diseases

This is a wide range of diseases that are caused by various bacteria against the background of skin damage and poor hygiene. The manifestations are different, they can also resemble the symptoms of dermatomycosis.

Often, bacterial diseases occur with intensive combing, when shaving with infection in the skin. As a result, painful redness may develop, followed by suppuration.

Infection from others is possible if you have cracks in your skin and / or discharge from affected areas in an infected person.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by treponema pallidum. In short, this bacterium invades the body and forms a focus of the primary lesion - a hard chancre, a painless ulcerative formation, a source of infection for others.

With good personal hygiene, it is unlikely that you can contract syphilis with a simple handshake. However, a person who neglects these measures can easily infect others through contact after using the toilet - if there is an ulcerative lesion on the genitals. You can also get infected by touching skin with a syphilitic ulcer.

Poor hand hygiene increases the risk of illness, not only for the person himself, but also for those with whom he comes in contact. And often, well-being and the absence of symptoms does not guarantee the absence of infection in the body.

To reduce the risk, hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water when in contact with surfaces in public places, especially after using the toilet. It is also worth trying to minimize the number (or at least the duration) of handshakes, especially with unfamiliar faces. An alternative to handshaking is a fist-on-fist gesture or a distant hand greeting.