Reusable Bags Can Be a Breeding Ground For Bacteria
Posted on 01. Mar, 2012 by aqiumlogin in cold and flu, family, health & safety
We feel like we are doing the right thing when we use recyclable bags instead of plastic bags for our supermarket shopping. But we could actually be making ourselves ill if we don’t regularly wash them. Green shopping bags might be a great help for the environment but they’re not so kind on your body. Researchers at the University of Arizona in the US collected 87 reusable bags from randomly selected grocery shoppers and tested each for microorganisms. Nearly all of the bags contained some form of bacteria. Ew. Published in the latest issue of the International Association for Food Protection’s [...]
Petrol pump handles a breeding ground for bacteria & viruses
Posted on 23. Feb, 2012 by aqiumlogin in health & safety
Refuelling your car could be making you sick – and not because of the expense. A cleaning products manufacturer says fuel nozzle handles are fertile breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses – worse than mailboxes, escalator rails, parking meters and traffic light pedestrian buttons. Infectious diseases expert Flavia Huygens, an associate professor at the Queensland University of Technology, warned fuel pump handles could harbour a dangerous superbug, the methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). “Another study in Japan on public transport in trains isolated and identified MRSA. It’s pretty dangerous because it’s highly resistant to antibiotic therapy,” she said. Ms Huygens said [...]
Harboring Hidden Germs? What to Keep, What to Toss
Posted on 16. Feb, 2012 by aqiumlogin in cold and flu, family, health & safety
Just because it looks clean doesn’t mean it’s free of bacteria, allergens or worse. From sponges to pillows to toothbrushes, here’s what you should throw out and when. In the Bedroom: Pillow Stash it, but wash and cover it. Your head propper piles up gross sweat, drool, dander and dust mites. But instead of throwing it away, invest in a washable allergy case, which blocks mites and their leftovers, advises Amy Newburger, M.D., a dermatologist in Scarsdale, New York. Wash pillows every few months and change linens weekly, and you can rest easy. In the Bedroom: Mattress Trash it every [...]
Just How ‘Germy’ Is A Kiss?
Posted on 08. Feb, 2012 by aqiumlogin in health & safety
Kissing is a universal sign of amorous affection. We wait for that first-kiss moment in romantic films, stumble through uncomfortable teenage make-out sessions and spy those PDA-friendly couples (you know the type). But have you ever thought about what kissing means beyond the obvious pleasures? Just how “germy” is a kiss — and are those germs good or bad for us? (After all, mononucleosis is referred to as the “kissing disease” and most of us would likely prefer to avoid getting it.) Since our bodies are made up of 10 times more bacteria than actual human cells, it’s no surprise [...]
STUDY: Uni students with good hand hygiene pull 43% less sickies
Posted on 31. Jan, 2012 by aqiumlogin in cold and flu, health & safety, schools
This US Study shows that practicing good hand hygiene has a significant effect on the overall health of Uni students living in residence halls. BACKGROUND: Several studies have indicated a connection between hand sanitisation and infection control in numerous settings such as extended care facilities, schools, and hospitals. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of both a hand-hygiene message campaign and the use of an alcohol gel hand sanitiser in decreasing the incidence of upper-respiratory illness among students living in university residence halls. METHOD: This study involved a total of 430 students recruited from 4 residence [...]
Bacteria swimming in Melbourne’s beaches
Posted on 19. Jan, 2012 by aqiumlogin in family, health & safety
Why does it always seem when we need them the most our beaches are swimming more with bacteria than people? BACTERIA counts rose to their highest levels for the season across Bayside and Kingston beaches last week, with the EPA declaring several beaches unsafe for swimming. Environment Protection Authority samples showed poor water quality across many beaches, with bacteria levels higher than the 400 organisms per 100ml of water benchmark deemed safe for swimming. EPA spokeswoman Tanya O’Shea said last week’s rainfall caused the spike. “This is due to run-off from rainfall and stormwater, which deposits litter, debris and even [...]
Everyday items can be the germiest
Posted on 15. Jan, 2012 by aqiumlogin in at work, family, health & safety
From telephones to doorknobs to books, germs can get on anything and spread quicker than a sneeze. The bad news is that some of the most common items can be the nastiest when it comes to germs. The good news is there are ways to reduce continually spreading those germs and thus reducing the likelihood of illness. “You’re not going to prevent spreading (germs),” said Don Roush, a microbiologist at the University of North Alabama. “What we need to do is to try and keep the number (of germs) on your hands down. That’s the best way to keep from [...]
Flush With Germs: Lidless Toilets Spread Bacteria
Posted on 05. Jan, 2012 by aqiumlogin in family, health & safety
The message is pretty simple – put the lid down when you flush and help prevent germs invading your bathroom. Put a lid on it. That is the conclusion of research examining the amount of Clostridium difficile that flies into the air and contaminates surrounding surfaces with the flush of a lidless toilet. The investigation, published online December 2 in the International Journal of Hospital Infection, is the work of E. L. Best from the Microbiology Department, Old Medical School, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds Teaching Hospital National Health Service Trust, United Kingdom, and colleagues. Using fecal suspensions of C difficile, the researchers measured airborne suspension of [...]
Study Links Long Fingernails and Bacteria
Posted on 22. Dec, 2011 by aqiumlogin in health & safety
Whilst long fingernails can look lovely they may be teeming with germs so if you want to keep them make sure you practice even better hand hygiene than usual. Long nails have always been an expression of beauty, but a new study released today suggests that beauty is not always healthy. In a study released at the Infectious Disease Society of America meeting in San Francisco, researchers found that artificial and natural nails longer than 3 millimeters beyond the tip of the finger, or the length of a pencil tip, carry more harmful bacteria and yeast under them than short [...]
How Many Germs Do You Pick Up In Sandals?
Posted on 15. Dec, 2011 by aqiumlogin in family, health & safety
With cute, strappy summer sandals comes dirty, asphalt-colored feet and a lovely “tan line” of grime where an ankle strap once rested. After finding out what your feet have picked up — a seriously unappetizing stew of germs — you may be ready to ditch your Havaianas for a pair of knee-high boots. “When walking on the street in something like thongs, you are exposing your foot to vomitus, human waste, dog feces, sputum expectorated by people — some of whom may have microbacteria — and a wide variety of other things like food or liquids that have been brewing [...]
