Dear Angel,

I just have a quick question for you... If I shared drinks with someone who has bronchitis, should I be worried that I am going to get it? I don’t know if it is contagious, and I found out that a person at the party I was recently at has a really bad case. With finals coming up, I’m really freaking out since I can’t afford to be sick. What can I do so I don’t get sick?

Signed,
Freaking Out Before Finals
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Dear “Freaking Out”

Whenever you share drinks, utensils or anything else someone has put in his or her mouth, you run the risk of contracting an infection. This is because we all carry viruses and bacteria in our mouths. These viruses and bacteria may be “normal” in our mouth, but for someone else they can induce illness. So the short answer is yes, you could get sick.

What your friend may have transmitted was the causative agent (either a virus or bacteria) that he was infected with. In his body it manifested itself as bronchitis. Bronchitis is essentially an inflammation in the lungs, which manifests itself with coughing and shortness of breath (other symptoms such as fever, runny nose etc. may also be present). In addition to the mouth to mouth exposure by sharing drinks, you most likely were exposed if your friend was coughing or sneezing around you. Exposure was greater if the mouth and nose were not covered and/or if he was not diligent in washing his hands before touching other surfaces.

That being said, whether you develop bronchitis or another illness is hard to predict. How exactly this will show up in your system depends upon you and your unique body response. It is also equally possible that you may not become ill if you are resistant to that particular “bug,” did not ingest enough of the organism to make you ill or if your own immune system is able to “fight it off” without you feeling sick.

You can’t change your exposure at this point, but you can reduce your chance of getting ill from this or any number of opportunistic viruses and bacteria rambling around campus this time of year. This means getting 7-8 hours of sleep, eating balanced meals and drinking a lot of fluids. Additionally, don’t share drinks or other items that someone has had in or on his/her mouth, wash your hands frequently and avoid crowded areas and people who are coughing or sneezing.

If you do develop symptoms, help out your neighbor by avoiding crowded areas, covering your mouth or nose (cough into your elbow) and washing your hands frequently. You can also stop in the Self Care Center to assess your symptoms and/or make an appointment if you are not feeling well.

Sincerely,
Angel

Questions can be directed to Angel Weisbrod, student health director, via email at aweisbro@smumn.edu.