Final answer:
Droplet contamination is how fomites can become carriers of pathogens, which occurs when infected individuals expel droplets that land on surfaces, potentially spreading illnesses like the flu or common cold.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of infectious diseases, fomites are objects or surfaces that can carry pathogens when these objects come into contact with infected individuals or their biological material. One of the ways through which fomites can become carriers of pathogens is through droplet contamination. This form of contamination happens when droplets containing pathogens, such as those from an infected person's sneeze or cough, land on surfaces. These pathogens can then be transferred to another host when they come into contact with the contaminated surface.
Common examples of illnesses that spread via droplet contamination include the flu and the common cold. The transfer of infectious agents between hosts through contact with a fomite is categorized as indirect contact transmission. This contrasts with direct contact transmission, where infection spreads through immediate contact between individuals or through oral transmission.