Sharing Afrin Nasal Spray Between Individuals
No, one person should absolutely not use another person's Afrin (oxymetazoline) nasal spray—the FDA drug label explicitly warns that "use of this container by more than one person may spread infection," and clinical guidelines consistently recommend against sharing nasal delivery devices to minimize infection transmission risk. 1, 2
Primary Infection Risk
- The FDA-approved package insert for oxymetazoline directly states that sharing the container spreads infection. 1
- The European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps (2020) explicitly advises patients "not to share nasal delivery devices" to minimize infection transmission risk. 2
- Research demonstrates that nasal spray containers become heavily contaminated with bacteria during use—one study found bacterial growth in 90% of saline nasal spray bottles after just 3 days of use by a single patient, with isolates including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, and other potentially pathogenic organisms. 3
Mechanism of Contamination
- Nasal spray bottles become contaminated through direct contact between the spray nozzle and nasal mucosa, as well as from aerosolized droplets during administration. 3
- The predominant bacterial isolates recovered from used nasal spray containers include normal skin and nasal flora (S. aureus, S. epidermidis, alpha Streptococcus species) as well as gram-negative organisms of potential enteric origin (Pseudomonas, E. coli, Proteus). 3
- This contamination occurs even with proper technique and represents a significant cross-infection risk when bottles are shared between individuals. 3
Clinical Implications
- Sharing nasal spray devices can transmit respiratory pathogens, skin flora, and potentially more serious infections between users. 2, 3
- The risk is particularly concerning during respiratory illness outbreaks or in households where one person has an active infection. 2
- Even if both individuals are healthy, sharing introduces unnecessary infection risk that is easily avoided by using separate bottles. 1, 2
Practical Recommendation
- Each person must use their own individual bottle of Afrin nasal spray. 1, 2
- If cost is a concern, note that oxymetazoline should only be used for ≤3 days anyway to prevent rhinitis medicamentosa (rebound congestion), so a single bottle should not need to be shared. 4, 5, 6
- For households with multiple people needing nasal decongestant therapy, purchase separate bottles and clearly label them to prevent accidental sharing. 2, 1