There is no such thing as a nice-smelling fart.
However, aside from being a source of embarrassment and making people regret being around you in the moment, farts are mostly harmless… or are they?
Is it true that diseases can be spread via flatulence?
Verdict:
True
In 2001, a scientist posed a very interesting question: Can disease-causing bacteria be expelled through a fart?
To answer this, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and microbiologist Luke Tennent conducted the ‘bare-bottom experiment’, which found that unclothed farts could spread Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria.
However, the same experiment showed that when the farter was wearing clothes, the bacteria did not pass through to a petri dish.
This suggests that clothing is sufficient to block any bacteria contained within a fart, much like a mask, but for your bottom.
There is also evidence showing that traces of the Covid-19 virus remain in patients' faeces, implying that it can be transmitted through flatulence – though there is no evidence of such an incident (that we know of).
All in all, unless someone is farting naked – and at close quarters – around you, it should be fine. And if such a thing is happening, perhaps you have bigger worries to address.
Sources:
- https://www.discovermagazine.
com/do-farts-carry-germs-well- it-depends-on-whether-you-are- wearing-pants-364 - https://www.mentalfloss.com/
article/620533/can-farts- spread-disease
