The danger(s) of exposure to human feces

[PD]

OK Dr. Steve,

Today on the show Blowhard called in and mentioned the case of a forced hospitalization of homeless woman Billie Boggs (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B0DE0DA1238F930A35752C1A961948260). He mentioned that one of the things that she did was throw feces around at people.

The question I have is this:
What is the danger of this? is it dangerous if some homeless guy threw his feces on you, or just icky?
(or fun if you are Jimmy Norton)?

[RAAMONE]

i'm no doctor steve...but you can get a shit load of diseases from shit

say the homeless person has aids...she throws it at you and you happen to have a scratch on your arm

now you got yourself some aids

[Dr Steve]

OK Dr. Steve,

Today on the show Blowhard called in and mentioned the case of a forced hospitalization of homeless woman Billie Boggs (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B0DE0DA1238F930A35752C1A961948260). He mentioned that one of the things that she did was throw feces around at people.

The question I have is this:
What is the danger of this? is it dangerous if some homeless guy threw his feces on you, or just icky?
(or fun if you are Jimmy Norton)?

Well, the fact that there are people who play with other people's fecal matter for fun and sexual pleasure should be revealing. The fact is, the risk of exposure to human feces is largely exaggerated in popular culture. Although it is certainly true that exposure to aggregate human waste products (i.e., raw sewage) carries significant risk of disease due to multiple "donors" increasing the risk of pathogens being in the debris, exposure to feces from a single donor from a distance (i.e., no direct contact) carries no risk whatsoever (other than the odor, which can be noxious, to be sure, but carries no significant health risk).?

In the absence of enterotoxogenic e. coli or other fecally transmitted diseases (e.g., Hepatitis A), even direct contact with human feces carries little risk as long as it is not ingested.

But why take the risk? If someone comes at you with feces in their hand, RUN.

your pal,


Steve

"My kid is so dumb, he came in the house with a pile of dogshit in his hand and said 'Dad! Look! I almost stepped in this!'"
---original author unknown

[Tenbatsuzen]

But why take the risk? If someone comes at you with feces in their hand, RUN.

your pal,


Steve



So, speaking as a professional and an accredited member of a medical community, the proper treatment for avoidance of contact with shit is running, NOT a foot to the chest.

Good to know. Thanks, Dr. Steve.

[DarkHippie]

I submit myself as the board expert on getting hit with feces.

I have yet to be infected by all the doody i have had to clean off of me. And some of my former consumers have The Hep.

[nate1000]

But why take the risk? If someone comes at you with feces in their hand, RUN.


Or stand your ground and kick them in the stomach.

http://www.oapedia.com/images/Po-colin.jpg

[ANC]

If someone comes at you with feces in their hand, RUN.


Confucious say.

[Jujubees2]

i'm no doctor steve...but you can get a shit load of diseases from shit

say the homeless person has aids...she throws it at you and you happen to have a scratch on your arm

now you got yourself some aids

Um, I don't think you can get AIDS through feces.

Hasn't anyone else on the board ever changed a diaper and got feces on their hands? You just wash it off.

[ANC]

Um, I don't think you can get AIDS through feces.

Hasn't anyone else on the board ever changed a diaper and got feces on their hands? You just wash it off.

Yeah but AIDS isn't common among babies.

[red_red_red]

Yeah but AIDS isn't common among babies.
ever hear of aids babies? i hear they're all the rage in Africa

[KC2OSO]

Get down with the Aids Babies. They're touring with Small Feces this fall.