PULLMAN — Washington State University officials say students may have helped spread the swine flu virus by simply doing what college students normally do.

Erica Austin of WSU’s College of Communication says interviews with students found they knew they were taking risks by staying out too late, not getting enough sleep, and by doing such things as drinking from other people’s cups. The communication school and the Washington Health Foundation conducted the interviews to learn more about student behavior during the outbreak of swine flu-like symptoms at the Pullman campus last month.

Austin told Seattle television station KING that many students were too worried about missing classes to stay home after showing flu symptoms.