YUCK !

An article on MSN.com caught my eye and I thought I would share the highlights of the story. If we all weren’t being bombarded enough already with commercials and postings to wash our hands frequently…here’s some more. Not only should you wash your hands frequently, you may want to start carrying those disinfecting wipes with you too.

Germs that cause illness lurk in some out-of-the way spots, and bacteria and viruses can remain active on surfaces for days or even weeks, especially in wet areas. "Because of the natural moisture of our skin, we easily pick up these organisms, and we transfer them to our face," says Elizabeth Scott, co-director of Boston's Simmons College Center for Hygiene and Health in Home and Community. Good hygiene in the home is especially important for people with compromised immune systems.

REMOTE CONTROL
Your favorite gadget may bring you hundreds of channels — and even more germs.University of Virginia researchers found six out of 10 remote controls tested positive for rhinovirus. Traveler’s alert: Remotes in hotel rooms are rarely cleaned.

SALT & PEPPER SHAKERS
Other germ reservoirs in the kitchen include refrigerator and dishwasher handles.

PURSE
Your bag may carry a load of bacteria. Think about some of the contents…lipstick, pens, keys…things you touch frequently and then touch your face. Hang up your purse and keep it off the kitchen counter. Wipe the bag with a mild soap or disinfectant.

GROCERY CART
A recent University of Arizona study found that the handles of almost two-thirds of shopping carts were contaminated with E coli. Drool, saliva and mucus from children also collect there. The grocery cart "is one of the most surprising places [for germs] we’ve come across," says Chuck Gerba, a microbiologist who conducted the study. Swab the handle with a disinfectant wipe. Bag your fresh produce and keep it off the seat where diaper-bottomed children have been sitting.

DESK
Office desks contain hundreds of times more bacteria per square inch than office toilet seats. Researchers at the University of Arizona, Tucson, did a study that found desks are also habitats for viruses, the pesky bugs responsible for the flu and colds. "Desks in schools are much germier than office desks," microbiologist Gerba says. "Women's desks are germier than men's," he adds, because women tend keep a lot more food and cosmetics in and around their desks than men. Wipe them down with disinfectant wipes and wash hands frequently.

CELL PHONE
Your hands can be home to plenty of germs, and with regular cell use, the result can be a filthy phone. Cell phones also are stowed in nice, warm pockets, making a good breeding laboratory. Your phone can carry lots of bacteria, including staph, which can cause skin infections. The University of Arizona tested 25 cell phones and found staph growing on nearly half of them. "The flip phone is germiest because it keeps moisture in more," says Gerba. Use a disinfecting wipe regularly and think about where you lay your phone down. Wash your hands frequently. And be careful in borrowing someone else's cell.

CARPET
Besides tracking in dirt, the soles of shoes can bring indoors traces of coliform, which includes fecal bacteria. Carpets also harbor tons of bacteria, dust and pesticide residue. "It's a living world right under your feet," Gerba says. His University of Arizona study found more than 200,000 particles of bacteria in one square inch of carpet. Vacuum regularly with a strong vacuum cleaner. Even vacuum cleaners can have E. coli and salmonella growing inside them, Gerba says. Make sure you wash your hands after you handle a vacuum bag or receptacle, he adds. You may want to consider leaving your shoes at the door before entering the home.

As if we didn’t have enough things to make us neurotic…add these to your list. Don’t go overboard, but use some common sense. Some of the simplest things can keep us and our families healthy.


Dan