Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 27, 2025

Efficient SARS-CoV-2 Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR Saliva Diagnostic Strategy utilizing Open-Source Pipetting Robots
Published on: February 11, 2022
Shared Food, Meals and Drinks: 10 Arguments Suggesting an Oral Transmission Route of SARS-CoV-2
Jean-Michel Wendling1, Aure Saulnier2, Jean-Marc Sabatier3
1ACST - Strasbourg - Occupational health - 37 avenue de Colmar - 67100 Strasbourg, France.
Abstract:
Numerous observational, epidemiologic data have suggested that the risk of COVID19 is related to shared meals or drinks. The presence of ACE2 receptors in the gastrointestinal tract supports this hypothesis. Furthermore, several patients experience gastrointestinal symptoms without any respiratory disease. The SARS-CoV-2 found on food and packaging in China and the epidemic resurgence attributed to foods are also strong indications of an oral transmission route. Unprecedented biopersistence on skin, food, and beverages supports this theory. Finally, animal models reproducing the disease by oral inoculation are additional arguments in favor of an oro-digestive route of infection.
Related Concept Videos
Viral Recombination
Infection
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...
Conjugated Proteins
Nucleoproteins are protein complexes that contain nucleic acids, categorized as deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNPs) or ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) respectively. The nucleosome is a typical example of a DNP where nuclear DNA is associated with histone proteins. The major antigen for the Covid-19 virus SARS-CoV is an RNP that is critical...
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Food and Drug–Viral Interactions

