Is epiglottitis contagious?

Is epiglottitis contagious?

It can be. If epiglottitis is the result of a bacterial, fungal or viral infection, then it can spread from person to person through droplets of saliva or mucus. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, droplets move through the air. If another person breathes in those droplets, or comes into contact with a surface where the germs have landed, they can also develop an infection.

People who develop epiglottitis from injury or from smoking can’t pass the condition to others.