n. (pl. fomites) any object that is used or handled by a person with a *communicable disease and may therefore become contaminated with the infective organisms and transmit the disease to a subsequent user. Common fomites are towels, bed-clothes, cups, and money.
Inanimate objects, such as bed linen, clothing, books, or a telephone receiver, that are not harmful in themselves but may be capable of harbouring harmful microorganisms or parasites and thus convey an infection from one person to another. Fomites mainly transmit respiratory infections, such as influenza. The singular form of the word is fomes.... fomites
(contagious disease, infectious disease) any disease that can be transmitted from one person to another. This may occur by direct physical contact, by common handling of an object that has picked up infective microorganisms (see fomes), through a disease *carrier, or by spread of infected droplets coughed or exhaled into the air. The most dangerous communicable diseases are on the list of *notifiable diseases. Specific legal obligations arise in respect of notifiable diseases by virtue of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 (as amended), delegated legislation, and the Health and Social Care Act 2008.... communicable disease
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