Posts Tagged ‘germs’

Swim Safe AZ!

May 17th, 2013

National Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week is coming up next week.  Healthy swimming depends on paying attention to basic health, hygiene, sun-safety, and what swimmers bring into the pool (and what they don’t).  For starters, remind your kids to take a sunscreen, hydration, and bathroom break every hour when swimming.  You might also want to start the summer off right by getting your kids a UV protective swim shirt.  After all…  90% of lifetime sun exposure happens before you’re 20- so you can have a big influence on your kid’s lifetime risk for skin cancer.  And remember- there’s no substitute for adult supervision especially for rookie swimmers. 

Hygiene tips include not swimming when you (or your kids) have diarrhea, reminding your kids not to swallow pool water, and practicing good hygiene (shower before swimming and wash your hands after changing diapers).  And remember- little kids should have a swim diaper…  and always change diapers in the bathroom or diaper-changing areas (not poolside).  You can visit our Waterborne Disease site and a new CDC report about fecal contamination in pools to learn more. 

This year we’ll be holding a healthy swimming video contest to build awareness of safe swimming.  Kids can create a 2-minute healthy swimming video to help educate people about safe swimming including sun safety, staying hydrated while swimming, and preventing the spread of germs at pools, lakes, and water parks. The deadline for submission is June 16th and the website has the complete details and contest rules. The winning video will be used in a statewide water safety campaign. Last year’s winning video is up on YouTube.

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New Bacteria Takes the Stage

March 8th, 2013

This week’s Vital Signs report shows that antibiotics are being overpowered by lethal germs called carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or (CRE).These germs cause lethal infections in patients that get inpatient medical care in hospitals, long-term care facilities and nursing homes. 

In their normal forms, the germs- in the Enterobacteriaceae family (e.g. E. coli) are a normal part of our digestive system. However, some of them have evolved and become resistant to all or almost all antibiotics we have today. When these germs get into the blood, bladder or other areas where germs don’t belong, patients suffer from infections that are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. 

Even though these infections aren’t common, their rise is alarming because they kill about 50% of people who get severe infections from them. In addition to causing lethal infections among patients, they’re especially good at giving their antibiotic-fighting abilities to other kinds of germs. This means that in the near future, more bacteria will become immune to treatment, and more patients’ lives could be at risk from routine bladder or wound infections. 

Stopping these resistant Enterobacteriaceae will take a rapid, coordinated, and aggressive action that includes intense infection prevention work and antibiotic prescribing changes. You won’t be surprised to find that one of the primary lines of defense is that simplest of interventions called good hand washing by healthcare providers.  

Other keys to effective prevention include making sure that antibiotics are prescribed wisely. Long term care facilities can also conduct Facility-level CRE Prevention that includes surveillance and facility-level prevention strategies that include core and supplemental measures. Here are some recommendations for facilities with no history of cases and a summary of prevention strategies for long-term care facilities. 

CDC released a CRE prevention toolkit that puts together a clear set of control steps that facilities can take.

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The Worst is Over for Flu this Season

February 21st, 2013

This year’s flu really packed a wallop all across the country.  In Arizona we’ve had almost 250% more cases than last year so far.  But the good news is, this week’s flu report shows we’re on the downhill slope.  We’ve seen fewer new cases in the past couple weeks – but it’s not completely gone. 

 So you should still stay home from work if you’re sick and keep the kids home from school.  Also don’t forget about coughing and sneezing into your sleeve or a tissue.  And wash your hands – a good practice not just to keep away the flu, but all kinds of germs.

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Our Unwelcome Winter Visitor Returns

December 16th, 2011

Just in time for the holidays, we’re got our first lab confirmed case of influenza – actually two cases.  Influenza has probably been in the state for a while now, but we don’t officially start counting the cases until there is a case confirmed at our lab.  The vaccine was approved this summer and fights 3 different types of flu.  If you’re out holiday shopping, you might want to think about giving yourself a gift… a flu vaccine could help you have a flu-free holiday!  For information about where to find a flu shot, visit http://stopthespreadaz.org. 

Another key to prevent the spread of influenza and other diseases is washing your hands with soap – or if you can’t do that, use hand sanitizer.  Covering your cough and sneeze will also help keep germs from spreading.  When you are sick, stay home and keep your kids home from school when they are sick.  There’s more specific information for schools, parents and healthcare professionals on our flu website.

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Who is Louis Pasteur?

September 8th, 2011

In 1862, a French chemist named Louis Pasteur discovered that heat kills germs in liquids, preventing bacterial growth, food spoilage and foodborne illnesses. He used his discovery to invent methods that have been used for the last 150 years as a sanitary treatment for milk – which at the time was a prime source of TB. 

His experiment?  He exposed boiled broths to air in vessels that contained a filter to prevent particles from passing through to the growth medium via a long tube that didn’t allow dust particles to pass. Nothing grew in the broths unless the flasks were broken open- allowing him to conclude that the living organisms that grew in the broths came from outside rather than “spontaneously generated” within the broth (as was the conventional wisdom). This was one of the last and most important experiments disproving the theory of spontaneous generation. The experiment also supported germ theory.

Pasteur’s research also showed that the growth of micro-organisms was responsible for spoiling beverages, such as beer, wine and milk. With this established, he invented a process in which liquids such as milk were heated to kill most bacteria and molds already present within them. He and Claude Bernard completed the first test on April 20, 1862. This process was soon afterwards known as pasteurization.  Because of his study in germs, Pasteur encouraged doctors to sanitize their hands and equipment before surgery. Prior to this, few doctors or their assistants practiced the procedure of washing their hands and equipment.

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5 “Winnable Public Health Battles” Infection Control

May 24th, 2010

I was in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago for new health officer orientation and was able to meet with Dr. Frieden (the new head of the CDC) a couple of times.  Each time that we met he referred to a general theme that the CDC will be using over the next 3 years to drive public health policy- it’s called Public Health’s “Winnable Battles”.  CDC will be increasingly  focusing its strategic planning on public health and policy interventions to help win the 5 “Winnable Battles”.  There’s not much on the CDC’s website yet on the new strategy- but moving forward you’re sure to hear about them.  I’ll introduce them to you this week:

1. Infection Control

This one is probably the most winnable “Winnable Battle” in the short run.  Healthcare-associated infections are  acquired when being treated for something else in a healthcare setting. They’re one of the top-10 leading causes of death in the US.  We’ve developed a Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) and Antibiotic Resistance resource page to help healthcare providers to develop and implement better plans to reduce healthcare associated infections.

Unlike the problems of teen pregnancy, smoking, and obesity- interventions to reduce healthcare acquired infections can have an impact even in the short run.  The CDC’s Infection Control website also has information to help providers do better in this area.

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