"In general, urine-encrusted soda cans are not the most likely purveyors of these diseases. Most cans of soda are packaged into cardboard boxes while still on the production line and thus aren't at any risk of contamination. Additionally, once bottlers have mixed soft drink syrup is with soda water and sweetener, they try to get the finished product to the consumer as expeditiously as possible. Soft drink bottlers don't warehouse large inventories of finished product for any length of time -- freshness is everything, so the product is moved out quickly, leaving little opportunity for rodents to use the tops of cans as latrines. Moreover, any rats living in bottling plants are going to be hanging out where they find can food, and the best place for them to find food is where the product ingredients are mixed. There's little or nothing for a rat to dine on in the finished product area.

Nonetheless, it's still always a good idea to wipe off cans from exposed six-packs or those dispensed from drink machines, if for no other reason than to avoid picking up something passed on by the human handlers of the product."

But we need an urban myth now and then to spice up our lives. A good casino story would be welcome. Anyone hit 34 straight passes lately?

I actually do something that others have told me is "never done". I leave the cans in the cardboard carton, in the bottom of the frig. so they are protected, even from myself!