Things your housecleaner won’t tell you !

Things your housecleaner won’t tell you !

Where Germs Lurk on Planes

What to Do When Stuck at 30,000 Feet Next to Sneezers and Coughers

 Scott McCartney WSJ  12/20/11

It’s a common complaint: Fly on a crowded plane and come home with a cold. What’s in the air up there?

Airlines are deploying state-of-the-art filtration systems to contain flu and cold viruses from spreading. Scott McCartney joins Lunch Break to discuss how to avoid getting sick while flying. Photo: AP.

Air travelers suffer higher rates of disease infection, research has shown. One study pegged the increased risk for catching a cold as high as 20%. And the holidays are a particularly infectious time of year, with planes packed full of families with all their presents—and all those germs.

Air that is recirculated throughout the cabin is most often blamed. But studies have shown that high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters on most jets today can capture 99.97% of bacterial and virus-carrying particles. That said, when air circulation is shut down, which sometimes happens during long waits on the ground or for short periods when passengers are boarding or exiting, infections can spread like wildfire.

Jason Schneider

One well-known study in 1979 found that when a plane sat three hours with its engines off and no air circulating, 72% of the 54 people on board got sick within two days. The flu strain they had was traced to one passenger. For that reason, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory in 2003 to airlines saying that passengers should be removed from planes within 30 minutes if there’s no air circulation, but compliance isn’t mandatory.

Much of the danger comes from the mouths, noses and hands of passengers sitting nearby. The hot zone for exposure is generally two seats beside, in front of and behind you, according to a study in July in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A number of factors increase the odds of bringing home a souvenir cough and runny nose. For one, the environment at 30,000 feet enables easier spread of disease. Air in airplanes is extremely dry, and viruses tend to thrive in low-humidity conditions. When mucous membranes dry out, they are far less effective at blocking infection. High altitudes can tire the body, and fatigue plays a role in making people more susceptible to catching colds, too.

Also, viruses and bacteria can live for hours on some surfaces—some viral particles have been found to be active up to a day in certain places. Tray tables can be contaminated, and seat-back pockets, which get stuffed with used tissues, soiled napkins and trash, can be particularly skuzzy. It’s also difficult to know what germs are lurking in an airline’s pillows and blankets.

Research has shown how easily disease can spread. Tracing influenza transmission on long-haul flights in 2009 with passengers infected with the H1N1 flu strain, Australian researchers found that 2% passengers had the disease during the flight and 5% came down within a week after landing. Coach-cabin passengers were at a 3.6% increased risk of contracting H1N1 if they sat within two rows of someone who had symptoms in-flight. That increased risk for post-flight disease doubled to 7.7% for passengers seated in a two-seat hot zone.

Jason Schneider

The epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-03 suggested a wider exposure zone, however. On one flight studied, one passenger spread a particular strain to someone seated seven rows away, while people seated next to the ill passenger didn’t contract the disease.

That said, most people sitting near someone who is ill probably won’t get sick. “When you get aboard an aircraft, most of us don’t have a say on who we sit next to. But that doesn’t doom you to catching the flu,” said Mark Gendreau of Boston’s Lahey Clinic Medical Center.

In 2005, he was part of a team that published a paper in the Lancet that concluded the perceived risk for travelers was higher than the actual risk, and that’s still the case today, he said.

Even so, there are some basic precautions passengers can take to keep coughs away.

Hydrate. Drinking water and keeping nasal passages moist with a saline spray can reduce your risk of infection.

Clean your hands frequently with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. We often infect ourselves, touching mouth, nose or eyes with our own hands that have picked up something.

Use a disinfecting wipe to clean off tray tables before using.

Avoid seat-back pockets.

Open your air vent, and aim it so it passes just in front of your face. Filtered airplane air can help direct airborne contagions away from you.

Change seats if you end up near a cougher, sneezer or someone who looks feverish. That may not be possible on very full flights, but worth a try. One sneeze can produce up to 30,000 droplets that can be propelled as far as six feet.

Raise concerns with the crew if air circulation is shut off for an extended period.

Avoid airline pillows and blankets (if you find them).

“If you take the proper precautions, you should do quite well,” said Dr. Gendreau. “In most of us, our immune system does what it was designed to do—protect us from infectious insults.”

Hidden Dangers in Security

You think the plane is bad? Security checkpoints harbor a host of hazards as well, researchers say.

Jason SchneiderAirport security areas can make it easy to get sick. People are crowded together, and plastic storage bins that hold personal effects are not cleaned after each screening.

People get bunched up in lines, where there is plenty of coughing and sneezing. Shoes are removed and placed with other belongings into plastic security bins, which typically don’t get cleaned after they go through the scanner.

A National Academy of Sciences panel is six months into a two-year study that is taking samples at airport areas to try to pinpoint opportunities for infection.

With limited resources, airports and airlines have asked researchers to help figure out where best to target prevention, said Dr. Mark Gendreau of Boston’s Lahey Clinic Medical Center who is on the panel.

Check-in kiosks and baggage areas are other prime suspects in addition to security lines, he said.

How to prevent germs from spreading

www.nhs.uk.com

Germs can be passed from person to person or indirectly by touching unclean equipment or surfaces.

Cleanliness experts say hygienic cleaning will help prevent germs spreading in the home.

Hygienic cleaning involves focussing your efforts on areas in the house where germs are likely to spread and cause infection.

Use either soap and hot water (rinsing the germs away) or a disinfectant to kill the germs. Thoroughly dry surfaces after cleaning. Dampness helps any remaining germs to survive and, if there’s enough water, multiply.

“Good hygiene is not a ‘once-weekly, deep-down clean’,” says Professor Sally Bloomfield, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “Hygienic cleaning needs to be an ongoing part of our daily lives, where hygiene measures are targeted where and when necessary.”

She says that cleaning aids, such as cloths or mops, must be germ-free or they’ll spread germs to other surfaces. Germs can multiply easily. Within eight hours, one bacterium on a damp cloth can multiply to six million. Germs stick to cloths and are difficult to remove by rinsing, so all cleaning materials should be disinfected and then dried after use.

Below are some general hygiene tips to minimise the spread of germs in the home:

Cloths and sponges

• Use disposable cloths or paper towels when possible.
• Reusable cloths should be disinfected after each use.

Washing-up brushes

• Wash brushes in a dishwasher regularly or clean with detergent and warm water after each use.

Mops and buckets

• Use two buckets for mopping – one for detergent and the other for rinsing.
• Mops and buckets should be cleaned, disinfected and dried after each use.

Lavatories

• Keep the U-bend and lavatory bowl clean by flushing after each use.
• Use a lavatory cleaner and brush every few days.
• Limescale should be regularly removed using a descaling product.
• Keep the lavatory seat, handle and rim clean by using a disinfectant.

Baths and sinks

• Hygienically clean baths and sinks frequently.
• Use disinfectant if they’ve been used by someone who is ill.

Showers

• Clean shower trays as above for baths and sinks.
• If a shower hasn’t been used for a long period, let it run with hot water before using it.

Tiles and shower curtains

• Keep tiles and grout in good condition and clean them often.
• Hygienically clean or launder the shower curtain frequently, depending on how often it’s used.

Kitchen

• Ensure food preparation surfaces are hygienically clean.
• Use separate chopping boards for meat (including fish and poultry) and vegetables.
• Wash and dry your hands after handling high-risk foods such as raw meat.
• Hygienically clean surfaces immediately after use.

Floors

• Clean floors regularly to remove visible dirt with warm water and detergent.
• If soiled with vomit or excreta, the floor should be cleaned using a disposable cloth and warm water and then disinfected. Ensure the floor is dry before allowing children on it.

Carpet and soft furnishings

• Periodically clean carpets and soft furnishings using a suitable product.
• Carpets and furnishings can be hygienically cleaned by steam cleaning.
• Curtains can be cleaned by laundering or disinfected by steam cleaning.

Pets and other animals

• Keep pet food separate from human food.
• Always wash your hands after touching animals, their food, toys, cages and litter trays.
• Dishes, utensils and tin openers used for pet food should be stored separately.

Toys

• Clean hard or plastic toys by washing them and storing them once they’re clean and dry.
• Some soft toys can be cleaned in the washing machine.
• All toys and equipment should be added to a regular cleaning rota.

Laundry

• Wash your hands after handling dirty laundry.
• To prevent the spread of germs, all underwear, towels and household linen should be washed at 60C (140F) or at 40C (104F) with a bleach-based laundry product.
• Run the washing machine on empty once a week, either at a high temperature or with a chemical disinfectant to prevent the growth of germs.
• Don’t leave laundry in the washing machine as any remaining germs can multiply rapidly.

Waste disposal

• Foot-operated bins are better for hygiene because they reduce the risk of hands picking up germs when they touch the bin lid.
• Always wash your hands after handling waste material.
• Throw rubbish away carefully to avoid attracting vermin and insects.

Dirtiest Cities in America

CBSMiami.com 06/30/11

Miami is known for the sun, fun, night life, and miles of beaches. But, according to Travel & Leisure magazine, all that makes Miami great is also making it one of the dirtiest cities in America.

The magazine’s survey ranked cities based on a variety of items including: litter, air pollution, and even the taste of local tap water. But, some of the drawbacks that make cities “dirty” also help to push cities into the magazine’s favorite cities list.

Some of the dirty cities that offered plenty of things to do included: Memphis; Las Vegas; and Miami. All ranked highly for having great bar scenes, night life, live music, and great areas to people-watch.

Miami came in at number eight on the list of America’s Dirtiest Cities. Travelers ranked Florida poorly for cleanliness, which anyone who has traveled downtown could tell you is true, and safety.

The top five dirtiest cities were: New Orleans; Philadelphia; Los Angeles; Memphis; and New York City.

Dental Concerns

While the bib itself is new and sterile, the bib chain attached to it has probably been used on several previous patients without being sanitized or sterilized

GateHouse News Service 07/01/11

A smiling dental worker pulls on a fresh pair of gloves before picking up a bib chain and attaching it around your neck to that new sterile bib. You lean back, assuming all is safe, sterile and prepared for your dental treatment.

However, while the bib itself is new and sterile, the bib chain attached to it has probably been used on several previous patients without being sanitized or sterilized. It may be contaminated with over spray, dental debris, blood, saliva and, not to mention, the dirty necks of previous patients.

Even more worrisome, not only are you wearing other people’s germs around your neck, there’s a chance that some of those germs could be introduced into your mouth during treatment and even afterward. Infection control specialists call this accidental spread of bacteria among patients and materials “cross contamination.”

Noel Kelsch, a national infection control columnist and former president of the California Dental Hygienists’ Association, conducted a study on various types of dental chains and clips after seeing debris falling from a chain she had planned to use to protect her uniform at lunch. What she found led her to pen a column titled “Don’t Clip that Crud on Me” for RDH Magazine, a trade publication for dental hygienists.

“The more crevices and indentations on a clip or a chain, the higher the contaminant count,” she says. As expected, disposable clips and holders opened fresh for each patient were free from contaminants and posed no cross-contamination threats. “As an advocate for patient safety within our profession, I think it’s very important to take whatever steps we can to eliminate sources of potential harm for our patients.”

Using Gadgets to Zap Germs

By FARHAD MANJOO  NY Times 06/02/11

TOILET SEATS get a bad rap, says Charles Gerba, an environmental microbiologist at the University of Arizona. Indeed, because of what goes on there, we tend to consider bathrooms — even the most respectable bathrooms — as generally less than sterile. That view, it turns out, is unfair.

In numerous studies, Dr. Gerba and his colleagues have found that toilet seats are often one of the least germ-infested areas in your house. Much of the rest of the bathroom, too, isn’t especially toxic. If you’re really worried about germs, look to the kitchen.

“Cutting boards are just terrible,” Dr. Gerba said, by way of example. “There’s 200 times more bacteria on a cutting board than a toilet seat.”

I got to talking to Dr. Gerba — who has been studying the spread of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens in households for so long that many of his colleagues call him Dr. Germ — because lately I’ve had cleanliness on the brain. I’ve been testing several gadgets that promise to reduce or eliminate many household pathogens: devices to sanitize your cellphone, your toothbrush, your bedding, your floors, your countertops, and even the very air circulating through your home.

One by one, I put these gadgets through their paces. But then what? Germs’ power derives from their invisibility. And that’s the trouble with fully evaluating these high-tech germ destroyers — how would I know that they were working well? To find out, I asked Dr. Gerba, who is not paid to endorse any of the products I tested, and he said I’d more or less have to take it on faith. The good news is that we know a lot about sanitizing, but as to claims of a specific product’s effectiveness, firm answers are hard to get without your own lab.

Consider the VIOlight UV Cell Phone Sanitizer, a $40 device that promises to eliminate 99.9 percent of the bacteria and other nasties sitting on your phone. It purports to do so by using a beam of ultraviolet light, which is a specific wavelength of light that, when focused precisely, penetrates and damages the DNA of microorganisms. Dr. Gerba said that ultraviolet-based systems have been used in commercial and industrial sanitizing applications for many years. The technology is now getting small and inexpensive enough to be found in many consumer devices, too. In fact, most of the devices I tested used UV light as their primary cleaning agent.

The cellphone cleaner, a hunk of silver plastic as big as a soap dispenser, is simple to use: Just drop your phone inside and shut the lid. A light on the front blinks on and off to tell you it’s working. After about 5 minutes, the sanitizing is done. When you pull your phone out, it won’t look or smell any cleaner — the sanitizer isn’t meant to remove smudges or stains — but presumably the UV light has killed off everything microscopic.

Presumably: On the one hand, UV light is a proven sanitizer. But on the other I honestly have no idea if this particular cleaner did its job well.

Dr. Gerba added that, with cellphones, it may not matter much. Even if you assume that the sanitizer is decimating the phone’s microscopic inhabitants, it’s unlikely that your phone was covered in anything really dangerous. “Cellphones can get fairly germy, but it’s only your germs,” Dr. Gerba said. “Unless you’re sharing your phone with other people, there’s nothing to worry about.” (Dr. Gerba is asked about the necessity of cellphone sanitizing so often that he has a quip at the ready: “It keeps you from talking dirty.”)

You’re on slightly firmer ground with another VIOlight device — the $30 toothbrush sanitizer. This looks like a standard toothbrush holder, but when you press a button on the front, a UV light shines on the germs on your brushes (the unit holds up to four). According to a 2008 study published in the American Journal of Dentistry, toothbrushes treated with the VIOlight had 86 percent fewer “colony-forming units” — a measure of germs — than toothbrushes that were just rinsed in cold water. The study does note, however, that there’s no proof that a cleaner toothbrush results in better oral health.

UV light can also help with your cutting board, that epicenter of household filth. For this, I tried the CleanWave Sanitizing Wand, a $70 device made by Verilux. The wand looks like a shrunken light saber, and to attack your germs, you can play Luke Skywalker. Turn on the wand, hold one edge against a flat surface — your cutting board, your countertop, your desk — and slowly move it back and forth over the area you’d like to sanitize.

Ryan Douglas, the chief executive of Verilux, said that when he cleans with the wand, he can tell that it’s working. “As you wand over an area, there’s a ‘freshness’ you can smell when the biological material is killed,” Mr. Douglas said.

I confess I smelled nothing of the sort. Still, of all the applications for UV, Dr. Gerba said studies show that it is most effective on hard, nonporous surfaces like cutting boards. Even though I couldn’t tell it was working, there’s a high likelihood that the wand cleaned my cutting board far better than would most other home cleaning products, and it also contained no harmful chemicals. What’s more, as Mr. Douglas pointed out, there’s no way to know that traditional spray cleaners are actually sanitizing, either. I did have one problem with the wand: For safety reasons (UV light can be harmful if you look at it directly), it will work only when you wave it horizontally, with the UV beam pointed downward. That means you can’t use it to sanitize your kitchen walls or your faucet, and must rely on traditional cleaners.

There are two other UV gadgets I tested. The Verilux CleanWave Sanitizing Furniture and Bed Vac ($130) will sanitize soft, plush items that you can’t attack with traditional sanitizing chemicals. Mr. Douglas said that it is especially effective against bedbug and dust-mite eggs. I also ran Honeywell’s HEPAClean UV Antibacterial Air Purifier (about $200) in my bedroom for a few nights. In addition to several layers of filters — which are used in many air purifiers — this unit uses UV lights to kill germs passing through the air. It promises to eliminate 99 percent of such pathogens — but, of course, I had no way to test that.

Besides UV, another high-tech sanitizing method is “super-oxygenated water,” which is used in commercial agriculture. The lotus Home Cleaning System ($219) comes with an electronic base and two vessels for water — one big bowl and one spray bottle. You fill one of the vessels with water, insert it into the base, and turn it on. The water cycles through the base, where it’s hit with an electrical current and forced to take on an extra oxygen molecule. After a few minutes, all the water is converted — and now it’s ready to sanitize. You can fill the bowl with items to sanitize — fruit, vegetables, meat, dishcloths, sponges, baby bottles, pacifiers — or use the spray bottle for general cleaning. It’s harmless, and effective even against stains. But how do you know this product harnesses the proven oxygenating process to actually work well? Once again: You don’t.

That brings me to my favorite sanitizing gadget, the Shark Lift-Away Professional Steam Pocket Mop (about $200). This device works on floors and countertops, and it requires no soaps or other cleaning products. Instead, it uses just water: water in the mop’s chamber is heated and converted into steam, which then shoots into the mop head to clean your floors. I found the mop to be quick and convenient, and it removed stains and left my kitchen floors gleaming. And how did I know it was sanitizing? I saw the steam rising from the tile. That’s good enough for me.

Dr Bruce Yaffe: Germs

Whatever shape your immune system is in, it makes sense to minimize the overwhelming numbers of disease-causing germs you are exposed to. There are four key ways to do this:

Decrease the disease-causing germs on surfaces in the home.

Where are these germs truly a problem? Where does this really make a difference? In a number of different fascinating studies, researchers have carefully cultured every imaginable surface of typical homes to find where the disease-causing germs live. It turns out that the kitchen harbors more germs than any other room in the home — yes, more than the bathroom. The greatest concentration is found in the moist germ havens we call kitchen sponges and dishcloths. These are the very same germs with which people in that household get sick. Sink drains, faucet handles, and doorknobs — either in the kitchen or bathroom — are the next highest on the list. Toilet seats had fewer germs than any other surface tested (Journal of Applied Microbiology, 1998;85(5):19–28)! If we can keep these objects clean — especially the sponges and dishcloths — we can cut the spread of infection.

But here’s the problem:

Tossing a dishcloth in the washing machine, even with a strong detergent, doesn’t appreciably cut down on surviving germs. The micro-crevices that make a sponge such an effective cleaning device make it even more difficult to disinfect. Running a sponge through the dishwasher makes it look clean but leaves it just as infectious. Even strong chemical disinfectants often aren’t enough to disinfect them (Journal of Applied Bacteriology, 1990;68(3):279–283).

What can you do?

Wet your sponge or dishcloth and then pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes. Then you’ll have safe, germ-free tools to use. For items that you can’t microwave, such as faucet handles, a household cleaning solution containing hypochlorite is the best for cleaning, but be sure to rinse thoroughly (Journal of Applied Microbiology, 1998;85(5):819–828).

Decrease disease-causing germs in the air we breathe.

I use every opportunity to teach children (and adults) to cover the mouth and nose for every cough and sneeze. This simple maneuver has spectacular results in decreasing the aerosolized viruses and bacteria floating about the room for us to inhale. Of course, this does leave the hands or tissues teeming with germs, but we’ll deal with that in a moment.

To keep the air clean, I also rely on special air filters. These high-efficiency particulate-arresting (HEPA) filters, available at discount drug stores for about $40 to $100, can remove 99.97%+ of the pollen, dust, animal dander, and even bacteria from the air. They are especially effective at preventing infections for those that get a bit stuffy from allergies but can also decrease respiratory infections for everyone. I have several in my pediatric office (you know what waiting rooms are like!) and several in my home, so that the room air is completely filtered six times an hour. Houseplants are also excellent air purifiers (if no one is allergic), although they work much more slowly.

Avoid antibiotic soaps (except for medical scrubbing).

At this year’s science fair at my children’s school, young students performed an elegant experiment using antibiotic soaps. They put a few drops of the soap in one test tube, a few drops diluted 10x in water in the next, a few drops diluted 100x in water in the next, and a few drops diluted 1000x in water in the final tube.

They took normal bacteria from classmates’ hands and placed a sample in each tube. All hand bacteria were killed in the first three tubes, but a few survived in the most dilute tube.

They kept these survivors, grew them in an incubator, and repeated the experiment using these hardy bacteria. This time they were able to survive in two of the test tubes. By continuing this process, they were able to breed increasingly resistant bacteria.

The children reasoned that whenever we wash our hands, some areas around the edges get only dilute concentrations of soap. This is the ideal breeding ground for the bacteria we want to avoid. They proved that, as is the case with oral antibiotics, antibiotic soap can produce increasingly troublesome bacteria.

In most cases, antibiotic soap gives no added benefit, and may even increase your chances of getting sick. Note: disinfectants (on surfaces) and antiseptics (on people) mechanically destroy germs. They are different than antibiotics and are useful in preventing infections.

Wash hands at many important times throughout the day.

Most common infections are “caught” when the germs get on our hands and then we touch our eyes, noses, or mouths. Proper hand washing is an enormously effective method of prevention. I wash my hands before and after seeing each patient in my office. I recently underwent neck surgery. I’m more pleased that my neurosurgeon scrubbed his hands thoroughly than that he wore sterile gloves. Hand washing is more important.

Even in 1999, lack of proper hand washing remains the number one source of infections acquired in hospitals (Annals of Internal Medicine, 1999;130(2):126–130)! Practicing what we already know could prevent unnecessary suffering and misery.

The same is true for children. In a recent study of 341 children’s daycare centers, infrequent washing of children’s or providers’ hands after nose wiping, after diapering, before meals, and before food preparation was spectacularly associated with a higher frequency of illness. Use of shared cloth towels instead of individual paper towels and washing of sleeping mats less than once a week were also associated with a higher frequency of illness. Hand washing and other hygiene practices actually do reduce the spread of disease (Public Health, 1998;113(6):544–551).

The most important times for most of us to wash our hands are after sneezing or coughing, after toileting, upon leaving “high-risk” places (pediatrician’s waiting rooms, ball pits, daycare centers, fast-food chain play structures, high-traffic door knobs, etc.), and always upon arriving home (to keep outside germs outside). Of course, hand washing before meals and snacks is a must. (Before a child picks his or her nose would be nice but is not always practical.)

Lots of water and a moisturizing soap are a great way to wash, but this isn’t easily available at all the right moments. I’ve found a recent innovation to be portable, practical, and fantastic. Instant Hand Sanitizers, pioneered by Purell, are a wonder (they are now available in many other brands). Talk about convenient! A small bottle can be carried about in a purse, glove compartment, or even a hip pocket. A little dab will kill 99.99% of germs without any water or towels. It uses alcohols to destroy germs physically. It is an antiseptic, not an antibiotic, so resistance can’t develop. They’ve added moisturizers and vitamin E to counteract the drying tendency of the alcohols. A few people find it irritating to the skin, but most find it refreshing to use and that their hands feel smooth and soft afterward. You may want to use an additional moisturizer.

Sharing Musical Instruments Means Sharing Germs

BOSTON, May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Germs survive for several days in wind instruments including the clarinet, flute, and saxophone, according to a pilot study published in the International Journal of Environmental Health Research. The researchers, led by Stuart Levy, M.D., of Tufts University School of Medicine, urge proper cleaning of these instruments. The data suggest a need for additional research to determine the conditions for survival of germs on shared musical instruments, especially those with wooden reeds.

“Thousands of children share musical instruments in elementary and high school each year but there is no established standard for cleaning those instruments. We found that disease-causing germs survive on commonly shared instruments for one to two days,” said Stuart Levy, M.D., professor of molecular biology and microbiology and director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance at Tufts University School of Medicine.

“As early as 1957, research showed that wind instruments could hold germs and anecdotal evidence suggests that people who play wind instruments have recurring sore throats and airway inflammation. There are surprisingly few studies, however, that look at the relationship between germ survival on instruments and illness. We tested to see if microorganisms that can cause sickness could survive in or on parts of a used instrument,” said first author Bonnie Marshall, MA, MT (medical technology), research associate in the Levy laboratory at Tufts.

The researchers collected samples from 20 clarinets, flutes, and saxophones and found living bacteria as well as mold or yeast on all instruments. Using a pump and an aerosol generator, they simulated playing and applied E. coli, Staphylococcus, and a deactivated strain of tuberculosis bacteria to a clarinet. Culturing bacteria from the clarinet, they found that bacteria survived for hours to a few days. The deactivated strain of tuberculosis bacteria survived for up to 13 days. Although the pilot study was not focused on mold or other fungi, the researchers noted that these potentially disease-causing microorganisms also survived on and inside instruments. Wooden reeds and mouthpieces were found to harbor the greatest quantities of bacteria.

In order to prevent or minimize the transfer and growth of germs on instruments, Levy and Marshall suggest that instrumentalists have their own instruments, mouthpieces, and reeds. If the instrument is shared or obtained from a commercial source, to reduce germs, it should be disassembled and then cleaned using alcohol wipes, soap and water, or a commercial disinfectant. Additionally, swab pull-throughs and other drying cloths can be microwaved after use to minimize growth of germs while stored in instrument cases.

“Although hygienic practices increasingly are being encouraged, in part by the swine flu epidemic and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) outbreaks, our results suggest that cleaning shared wind instruments should also be encouraged, especially in schools,” says Levy.

Levy has published more than 300 papers, edited four books and two special journal editions devoted to antibiotic use and resistance, and is author of The Antibiotic Paradox: How Miracle Drugs Are Destroying the Miracle. He serves as president of the international Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, and is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, the Infectious Disease Society of America, the American Academy of Microbiology and the Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also co-founder and chief scientific officer of Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

This study was funded by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., Santa Monica, CA.

Marshall, Bonnie M. and Levy, Stuart B. “Microbial Contamination of Wind Instruments.” International Journal of Environmental Health Research. Published online May 11, 2011. DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2010.550033

About Tufts University School of Medicine, the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences

Tufts University School of Medicine and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts University are international leaders in innovative medical education and advanced research. The School of Medicine and the Sackler School are renowned for excellence in education in general medicine, biomedical sciences, special combined degree programs in business, health management, public health, bioengineering and international relations, as well as basic and clinical research at the cellular and molecular level. Ranked among the top in the nation, the School of Medicine is affiliated with six major teaching hospitals and more than 30 health care facilities. Tufts University School of Medicine and the Sackler School undertake research that is consistently rated among the highest in the nation for its effect on the advancement of medical science.

Whirlpool Baths: Neglected and Filthy Tub Jets Can Cause Diseases

Firoz Wahab/ezinearticles.com

A PhD working with the Department of Biology in Texas’ A&M University, Rita B. Moyes, experimented on the health hazards of whirlpool baths by checking 43 public and private tubs. And her research concludes with some very disturbing news.

Moyes discovered that even though a Jacuzzi might sound very appealing to you, it hides serious dirt underneath-literally. According to her research, whirlpool tubs are not structured enough to let the water drain from the pipes completely. Dirt and other materials remain on suspended on the pipes, until the next person sits in and activate the jets. As the water flows again, the smutty materials (including soap, hair follicles, washed away dead skin cells, body oil and even feces) mixes and contaminates the water, thereby risking the health of the person who uses the whirlpool bath.

Neglected, the froth and foam will continue to clump up and get in the way of the circulation of the jets. The dirt and filth will start blocking the pipes, like cholesterol in an artery. At some point, the system will not be able to handle it, and all the dirt will be expulsed to the water, even when someone is using it.

Apart from the repulsion of it all, these can cause health problems. To make matters worse, you won’t even know what’s causing it because most of the time, the water looks clean. And let’s face it, if you were suddenly brought down by pneumonia or septic arthritis-both of which are diseases caused by unclean tub jets-why would you point fingers at the Jacuzzi?

Firoz Wahab enjoys much of his spare time writing for one of the largest Internet Bathroom company’s in the UK, Bella Bathrooms. So if you are in the market for a new bathroom or require further information on products or installation topics why not visit Bella Bathrooms Online where you can view a large selection of Baths and Bathroom Taps

Cleanliness Rules Germaphobes’ Lives

By Leanna Skarnulis  /     Medecinenet.com

WebMD FeatureReviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

In the Monk TV series, gentle detective Adrian Monk works the grimy streets of San Francisco but is so driven by a fear of germs that he must scrub his hands after shaking hands with someone. Monk has been called the “poster boy” for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In fact, in an informal survey conducted by the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation, OCD patients said they liked the character, who triumphs even when his condition interferes with his ability to do his work.

Monk is a “germaphobe,” the popular name for people who become obsessed with germs and dirt and feel compelled to act out rituals of washing and cleaning. Real people with this condition include the late Howard Hughes and Saddam Hussein, who reportedly often ordered visitors to strip and wash with antibacterial soap.

True germaphobes have OCD, which can take various forms. For example, some people with OCD are “checkers.” They’re obsessed with a fear of losing control of aggressive urges, and their anxiety can be relieved only by checking something, such as whether a burner on the stove has been turned off. Hoarding, counting, and praying are some other manifestations of the disease. People often have multiple forms of OCD.

What Causes the Compulsion to Wash?

OCD is believed to be caused by an abnormality in the brain’s circuitry. Brain scans show brain activity is different in people with OCD. There’s probably a genetic component as well, especially when OCD begins in childhood. One-third to one-half of adults with OCD say their illness started in childhood or adolescence.

Why someone with the disease is compelled to wash, as opposed to check or count or hoard, isn’t known. What’s true with all types of OCD is that a compulsion is acted out to relieve anxiety produced by an obsessive, intrusive thought. For example, a woman accidentally cuts herself, washes the wound, puts antibacterial ointment on it, and bandages it. That should be that, but an anxious feeling and thought intrude: what if microscopic germs remain? She knows it’s irrational, but she’s compelled to wash the cut again in order to relieve the anxiety. She may have to repeat the act over and over.

When Is Cleanliness a Problem?

Every office has its neat freak. Maybe it’s the woman who cleans her cubicle every morning and keeps everything arranged just so. Is she just a perfectionist or is she driven by OCD? It can be hard to tell at first because OCD is a secretive illness, says Mary Guardino. She is the executive director of Freedom From Fear, the national mental illness advocacy organization she founded in Staten Island, N.Y., in 1984. “When you first meet her, you notice how nice and organized and clean everything is. But she may be hiding her rituals. If she heard a co-worker got the flu, she’d fear she might have touched something that person handled, so she’ll sneak into the bathroom to wash.”

Guardino says a clinician looks for these signs of OCD:

• The obsession with contamination is gradually taking over the person’s life and actions.
• The individual engages in ritual cleaning or washing at least one hour a day.
• Acting out the rituals is done to relieve anxiety.
• The person knows the obsession with germs is foolish but feels compelled to wash or clean over and over.

“People who have OCD really don’t want to be that way,” Guardino tells WebMD. On the other hand, people who have obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), which is less serious than OCD, pride themselves on being neat freaks. Felix Unger, of The Odd Couple, for example. “It didn’t bother Felix that he ran around with a paper towel and Windex. It bothered Oscar. Also Felix probably didn’t clean a surface over and over. He thought his behavior was appropriate because he needed to have things perfect. He didn’t want to change.”

Treatment With Medication and Therapy

The most effective treatment combines medication, usually one of several antidepressants, and a form of cognitive behavioral therapy called “response prevention” or “exposure and response therapy.”

“The object of response prevention therapy is to delay implementation of the ritual,” says Guardino, whose expertise and advocacy grew out of her own 25-year battle with anxiety and depression. “The longer you delay it, you will get slowly over time a decrease in the anxiety to enact the ritual.”

For example, the therapist might tell a patient that after washing her hands once, she must wait 15 minutes before washing them again. Gradually the length of time is increased until the patient can wash just once without feeling compelled to wash again. Successful treatment produces a change in brain activity and, for most patients, at least partial remission of the disease.

The Role of Family Members

Families often make the mistake of enabling loved ones with OCD. “A man who sees his wife cleaning the house three or four hours a day may at first think he’s got the world’s greatest wife,” says Guardino. “But over time he sees her energy level go down, she’s irritable, and there’s something bizarre about her cleaning. So he reads about OCD on WebMD and gets her into treatment.”

Family members can play an important role in carrying out response prevention treatment prescribed by a therapist. “After dinner, the wife jumps up to clear the table and get the bleach, but the husband tells her, ‘Sit down for half an hour, we’re listening to Mozart,’” says Guardino. “In the morning he says, ‘I’m throwing my pajamas on the floor and I want them there when I get home tonight.”

Do Germaphobes Know Something Others Don’t?

You might think you could get expert advice about SARS or flu or another infectious disease from a germaphobe. You’d probably be wrong. Guardino tells WebMD germaphobes act on irrational fears, not on knowledge.

In fact, cleaning rituals may increase their risk for infection. “They use a lot of bleach, and most spend at least half an hour in the shower, so their skin is dry and cracked,” she says.

She adds that people who study germs obsessively typically have a form of hypochondria, not OCD. “They spend all their time seeking information. The washers are too busy acting out their rituals to seek information.”

It’s true that hand washing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent catching an infectious disease, including colds, flu, hepatitis A, meningitis, and infectious diarrhea, according to the CDC. But that’s not license to scrub hands raw. CDC guidelines recommend washing:

• Before and after you prepare food
• Before you eat
• After you use the bathroom
• After handling animals or animal waste
• After coughing or sneezing
• When your hands are dirty
• More frequently if someone in your home is sick

To wash properly:

• Wet your hands and apply liquid or clean bar soap. Place bar soap on a soap dish that allows it to drain.
• Rub your hands together vigorously, scrubbing all surfaces for 15 to 20 seconds. That’s about how long it takes to hum “Happy Birthday” twice.
• Rinse well and dry your hands. In a public restroom, use the air dryer or paper towels.
• In the absence of soap and water, use alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers.

Resources

Guardino recommends several self-help books: The OCD Workbook: Your Guide to Breaking Free from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, by Bruce M. Hyman, PhD; Stop Obsessing! How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions, by Edna B. Foa, PhD, and Reid Wilson, PhD; Everything In Its Place: My Trials and Triumphs With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, by Marc Summers and Eric Hollander, MD; and OCD Casebook: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, by John H. Greist and James W. Jefferson.

In addition, the Freedom From Fear web site has a directory of mental health professionals that can be searched by ZIP code. “We only list people who will give the first consultation free,” says Guardino. “We know a free consultation will increase the probability that people will get into the mental health system.”