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Resource Guide
A risk factor is something that raises your chances of having a health problem. You can get an infection even if you do not have risks. The risks are not the same for each infection. The basic ones are:
Viruses and bacteria that cause infections are passed through contact with infected people. You are at higher risk if you:
- Do not wash your hands.
- Touch your nose, mouth, and eyes with contaminated fingers.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are passed from person to person during sex. Your risk is higher if you have had:
- Many sex partners
- Sex with someone who has had many partners
- Sex without using condoms
Germs that cause infections have been found in:
- Uncooked meats
- Undercooked meat , such as rare beef, from infected animals
- Uncooked vegetables
- Unpasteurized milk
- Foods made from unpasteurized milk
- Processed foods
Your risk is higher if you eat these foods.
Lifestyle factors are:
- Having close contact with someone who has an infection
- Using household items that were used by an infected person and not cleaned
- Handling cat litter or soil where there is cat feces
-
Having a job that involves contact with bodily fluids, such as a:
- Childcare worker
- First aid or emergency worker
- Funeral director
- Healthcare worker
- Dentist
- Dental assistant
- Firefighter
- Police staff
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Beverly Siegal, MD, FACOG
- Review Date: 05/2018 -
- Update Date: 08/13/2018 -