Second Hand Infection Risk
As the prices in the clothing sector started to increase rapidly, the demand for second-hand shopping sites has increased recently. Microbiologist from Altınbaş University Dr. Lecturer. Prof. Dr. İpek Ada Alver warned about hygiene on second-hand shopping
Altınbaş University's Microbiologist Dr. Ipek Ada Alver has issued a warning to consumers regarding clothing exchange on second-hand shopping websites and trial cabins. Dr. Ipek Ada Alver stated, "When items, especially clothing, as well as kitchen and bathroom supplies, maternity and baby products, and personal care items, are sold or used without being hygienically treated on second-hand shopping websites, they can pose a threat to health through bacterial, viral, parasitic, and fungal infections transmitted through skin contact."
Alver emphasized that unhygienic products on second-hand shopping websites can transmit infections such as body lice, scabies, Hepatitis B, Candida fungal infections, Trichomoniasis, and Herpes simplex through skin contact. She pointed out that newborn clothes, which rapidly become small in size, and items such as bottles, pacifiers, and breastfeeding products, which are used for a short period, are among the most preferred second-hand shopping items. Alver also highlighted the importance of paying extra attention during the newborn and baby period when the immune response to external conditions has not yet developed.
Regarding the risk of infection in changing rooms where dozens of people try on clothes daily, Ada Alver stated, "The same clothes can be tried on by dozens of people daily in trial cabins, allowing diseases to be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy individual through skin contact. Therefore, it is advisable to regularly disinfect trial cabins and clothes." She emphasized the need for periodic disinfection.
Dr. Ipek Ada Alver also outlined preventive measures that can be taken to prevent shopping items from becoming a source of infection. She recommended washing all items, especially clothing, purchased from both physical stores and online platforms in a washing machine or dishwasher at a temperature of at least 60 degrees Celsius before use. Additionally, she suggested using items that may be compromised by temperature after washing with soap and water, followed by wiping with white vinegar.
This warning underscores the importance of maintaining hygiene practices, particularly in shared spaces like trial cabins and when dealing with second-hand items, to mitigate the risk of infections and protect public health.