Don't Use Hotel Towels Indiscriminately, and be Careful of Getting Infected with Mycoplasma

When traveling out of town or on vacation, many individuals opt to stay in hotels. Typically, hotels provide guests with personal hygiene items, including towels, which have likely been used by many others before. 

Nowadays, most hotels reuse towels after disinfecting and sterilizing rather than providing disposable ones. Therefore, it is essential to exercise caution and refrain from using hotel towels indiscriminately, as they may be contaminated with harmful microorganisms such as Mycoplasma.

Which diseases can be contracted from hotel towels? Whether hotel towels can transmit diseases or not largely depends on the presence of pathogenic organisms on them. 

Some of the diseases that may be transmitted through hotel towels include: 

The survival of Neisseria gonorrhoeae outside the human body is highly unlikely, as it is highly sensitive to temperatures above 60°C and most disinfectants.

Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, can be effectively killed through boiling, drying, exposure to sunlight, soap, and common disinfectants.

Chlamydia trachomatis, which can cause non-gonococcal urethritis, is sensitive to heat and can be easily killed by common disinfectants.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), can survive in the environment outside the human body but can be killed by high temperatures, bleach, and chloramines.

Human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause common and genital warts, can be inactivated by strong acids, alkalis, and disinfectants.

Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma can lead to inflammation of the genitourinary system, but strict disinfection can also render them inactive.

Don't use hotel towels indiscriminately, and be careful of getting infected with Mycoplasma

In order to prevent infection with pathogenic microorganisms such as Mycoplasma, it is imperative to exercise caution when using hotel towels. Although these towels undergo strict disinfection procedures to eliminate most pathogens, Mycoplasma can survive and thrive outside the host body, making it a potential threat if proper disinfection measures are not taken. 

If an individual becomes infected due to improper use of hotel towels and exhibits symptoms of genitourinary tract infection, prompt treatment is recommended. 

In males, Mycoplasma infection can cause urethritis and potential complications such as prostatitis, epididymitis, and seminal vesiculitis, which can be treated with traditional Chinese medicine such as the Diuretic and Anti-inflammatory Pill. For females, Mycoplasma infection can lead to reproductive system inflammation, such as cervicitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometritis, and salpingitis, which can be treated with traditional Chinese medicine such as the Fuyan pill.

How to prevent Mycoplasma infection? 

Generally speaking, to prevent Mycoplasma infection, it is necessary to cut off the transmission route and protect susceptible populations from infection:

Mycoplasma infection is mainly transmitted through sexual transmission, so it is essential to pay attention to sexual hygiene and avoid unprotected sex.

As Mycoplasma infection can be transmitted through indirect routes such as towels, clothing, and bathrooms, it is important to disinfect these items regularly. For some daily necessities, it is best not to share them to prevent the widespread spread of Mycoplasma.

Strengthening nutrition, eating more vegetables and fruits, supplementing protein, and enhancing resistance can prevent Mycoplasma infection!

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