There are several factors that contribute to decreased exposure to microbes. Some factors for example are listed below.
Method of delivery: C-sections limit exposure to vaginal transmission. Increased pre term antibiotics will also reduce vaginal transmission.
Washing your hands: Washing hands is a great way to decrease exposure to microbes by using antibacterial soap to break down the bacteria. Good times to wash your hands include before touching any food or your face especially around your mouth, after using the restroom, after handling money, touching public objects, taking out the trash or after being in contact with someone who you know is currently sick.
Sanitizing house: Maintaining cleanliness inside your home is another great way to decrease exposure to microbes. People come in and out of the home constantly, creating and bringing in new germs. It is important to frequently clean commonly used surfaces such as the toilet, door handles and countertops. One very important surface to be aware of is your phone since it goes with a person everywhere, cleaning it often can prevent exposure to microbes.
Careful who you are around: Being mindful of who you hang around. If you know someone is sick maybe give them time to heal or be very cautious by wearing a mask and brining hand sanitizer if you might not be able to wash your hands as needed. Avoiding large number of people in crowds or busy locations will also decrease exposure. Another way to limit exposure is to limit the amount of people that live in your home so less people are sharing germs such as a smaller family size which would lead to reduced early life transmission.
Preparing food: Properly store food at adequate temperatures to prevent bacterial growth. When preparing food not only should you wash your hands but you should also wash any potentially contaminated food such as fruits and vegetables. From production to the grocery store you do not know what bacteria the food has picked up so it is important to wash the product in advance. Once ready to cook ensure food has been fully cooked as needed.
Personal hygiene: Maintaining personal hygiene is also important to decrease exposure to microbes. This includes but is not limited to brushing your teeth, taking regular showers and keeping up with laundry to ensure clean clothes.
Clean water: Ensuring you are drinking clean water will reduce faecal transmission.
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