Often spitting carelessly on the streets is dangerous for those around you

Seeing people who often spit carelessly on the streets is not a sight to be seen for many people once they set foot outside the house. From a medical point of view, spitting is not just a social problem, it can pose a potential hazard to the environment.

Many infectious diseases can be passed from one person to another through contact with saliva and phlegm, such as when coughing or sneezing. That's why Singapore has provided silly fines for those who dare to spit in public places - up to nearly 10 million rupiah!

Various diseases that can be spread due to frequent spitting carelessly

The risk of transmitting the organism to others through saliva is small, says Michael Benninger, MD, quoted from the Cleveland Clinic. This is because saliva has antibodies and enzymes that reduce the risk of transmission.

However, the germs and bacteria that are present in a person's saliva can remain alive for a long time even after being spit out, which can increase the risk of transmission. Some viruses and bacteria can survive up to 6 hours in the air and more than 24 hours if the environmental conditions for growth and development are optimal. Not to mention if you consider the resistance of the people around which of course they are diverse.

The habit of frequently spitting openly must be considered as a risk factor for the spread of disease, especially in areas that are still prone to transmission of infectious diseases. According to health experts, sputum from infected patients can spread airborne respiratory diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza (including avian flu, MERS, SARS, and swine flu). These germs can pass from saliva on the streets and into the nose, throat and lungs of people around them.

Tuberculosis can be spread through saliva and phlegm that is thrown away carelessly

Take tuberculosis or TB for example. Until now, Indonesia is still the third largest contributor of TB in Asia after China and India. As much as 0.24% of Indonesia's population suffers from this disease. TB is the number one infection cause of death in Indonesia.

Tuberculosis is transmitted through droplets of water from coughs or phlegm that the sufferer spits out. The droplet containing these germs is then inhaled by another person. TB bacteria can survive in free air for 1-2 hours, depending on the presence or absence of sun exposure, humidity, and ventilation. In dark and humid conditions, TB germs can last for days, even months.

In fact, many people have actually been exposed to TB germs in their lifetime. However, only 10% of people infected with TB will suffer from this disease. And although most people with a strong immune system TB infection can heal on its own without leaving a residue, it is not uncommon for this infection to be cured by still leaving traces. At least 10 percent of ex-TB patients can come back in the future because the germs that had "slept" in the body become actively transmitted again.

Apart from TB and various types of flu, frequent spitting on the streets can also increase the risk of a number of other diseases, such as mononeucleosis (mono) which is spread by the Epstein-Barr virus, herpes type 1, hepatitis B and C, and cytomegalovirus. These diseases can be spread through contact with the sufferer's saliva and phlegm.

Come on, don't be selfish! Stop the habit of spitting in public places!

Many of these germs can survive in the body of ex-sufferers in a dormant state, and can come back to life someday once triggered by one reason or another. A factor that is often overlooked when you are indifferent to spitting on the streets without paying attention to other people's feelings.

Hmm.. In this way, will Indonesia also join Singapore in imposing fines for people who often spit carelessly, right?