Influenza is transmitted by which route?

• A. Airborne
• B. Droplet
• C. Contact with surfaces
• D. Fecal-oral

Answer: (B)

Influenza spreads mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These larger droplets travel only a short distance and land on the mucous membranes of nearby people (eyes, nose, or mouth), which is why close contact is a common way to acquire the illness. This is why droplet precautions—like staying within about 1 meter of an infected person and using a surgical mask—are effective. Airborne transmission involves much smaller particles that linger in the air and travel farther, which is not the typical route for influenza in everyday settings. Contaminated surfaces can contribute if you touch them and then touch your face, but it’s not the primary mode. Fecal-oral transmission does not apply to influenza. Therefore, the main route is droplet transmission.