http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/zoonotics/diseases.aspx
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41235440/ns/health-pet_health/t/out-sack-cat-sleeping-pets-carries-disease-risk/
Pets and Zoonotic diseases can be a serious problem if proper precautions are not taken. Sometimes man's best friend can be his worst enemy when it comes to pets and Zoonotic diseases. Dogs, cats, birds, and even fish can carry a myriad of bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause serious illness and even death.
Our pets bring us so much joy and comfort it is hard to imagine that those warm furry cats and dogs can give us things like MRSA bacteria, Ringworm(fungus), tapeworms (parasite),cat scratch fever, Leptospirosis, and Plague yersinia pestis.
Pets and Zoonotic diseases can also be spread to you and your family if you are sleeping with or kissing your pets as indicated in the article from Pet Health msnbc.com.
Pets and Zoonotic diseases aren't limited to cats and dogs. Birds can carry toxoplasmosis, Salmonellosis, avian flu, and Psittacosis to name a few.
Don't forget those quiet unassuming aquatic pets. Salmonellosis and fish tank granuloma can cause serious illness as well. Be sure to wear gloves when cleaning the fish tank, followed by a thorough hand washing when the task is completed.
What do pets and Zoonotic diseases have to do with clean air? You may ask. Many bacteria, fungi, and viruses are airborne. Careful hygiene, insuring good health of your pets with regular visits to your veterinarian, proper cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces, and keeping the indoor air purified can all significantly reduce the spread of germs in pet stores, kennels, veterinarian offices and our homes.
http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/17/6/1135.htm
With the recent reports of E.coli outbreaks in Germany many of us fear that E.coli is a number one concern for illness. MRSA bacteria infections are still far and above E.coli food borne bacteria causing infections and death. "MRSA infections (19,000 deaths) have outpaced the rate of deaths caused by AIDS-related illness (17,011 deaths) in this country," According to a report in JAMA 2007. These statistics are shocking. MRSA bacteria has not been conquired and at this rate may never be. The report by the Center for Disease Control reports, MRSA bacteria has been found in meat. It is true you can cook meat and kill MRSA bacteria but what about handling this raw meat before you cook it? The raw meat can contaminate surfaces, hands, cutting boards, and utencils.
Careful handling of raw meat, cleaning hands, cutting boards, and utensils will help prevent the spread of MRSA bacteria. There are many concerns about MRSA being in unpasterized milk as well. MRSA bacteria needs to be destroyed on farms before it even gets to our kitchens.
MRSA bacteria is an airborne pathogen and normally exists on the skin and in the nose of many people and animals without ever affecting us. However if our bodies are weakend by illness or trauma we can become suseptible to MRSA bacteria infection.
Factory farming have increased the MRSA bacteria problems all over the world. Animals live in close quarters and are often given antibiotics to ensure better health and rapid growth but the antibiotics have made MRSA bacteria mutate and become more resistant to antibiotics.
Proper ventilation, air filtration, and purification using photocatalitic oxidation on these farms could significantly reduce airborne pathogens and reduce the spread of disease and infection.
http://visitbulgaria.info/16868-pillows-perfect-breeding-ground-diseases
MRSA, C-diff, E.coli, influenza, chicken pox, dust mites, and leprosy, found in bed pillows. Up to 30 or more unwanted bacteria, viruses, and dust mites can be a contributor in spreading infection, illness, allergies, and asthma in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels. Dr Arthur Tucker reported his findings after studying hundreds of pillows patients in hospitals.
The pillows can acquire these dangerous pathogens like MRSA, C-diff, Influenza, and others from the air in patient’s rooms, from infected patients, and even staff members can introduce or spread malignant microbes while changing bed linens. “Many of the pillows issued by the hospital had over one million Staphylococcus hominus per millilitre…” the report states.
As much as 1/3 of the weight in pillows can be from bugs, and their feces, dust, dead skin, and malignant microbes. So much for resting peacefully!
MRSA, C-diff, E.coli, dust mites and all the other problems with contaminated pillows can be reduced in several ways. Regular washing of pillows, changing the type of pillows used, and being sure there are no rips or tears in the pillows. There are high tech pillows being manufactured currently that are made from a membrane normally used as a filter in heart stints to keep bacteria out, the articles states.
Cleaning the air in hospitals, nursing homes, and hotels rooms can also reduce the spread of malignant microbes from settling on bedding. As scientists discover the culprits of the spreading of germs in hospitals and other care facilities new technologies are developed to conquer them. Photocatalytic oxidation is one such technology that cleans the air and can significantly reduce malignant microbes.
http://news.helium.com/news/13640-german-e-coli-outbreak-started-by-human-transmission
E.coli bacteria outbreak in Germany has been narrowed down to a woman who prepared food for some 20 people. The article also shares another source that appears to have been a ongoing problem. An infected stream in Franfurt which is located near a sewage plant; the above article states, "One local man said "Residents here have often intestinal problems and so they often visit the doctor. I believe this can have something to do with that."
Other E.coli bacteria have surfaced in Northern France but is said to be non-related to Germany's E.coli bacteria outbreak. However they suspect it was from hamburger which is sold by the German supermarket chain Lidl. The actual source of the infected meat is still unknown because France imports meat from at least three other countries.
Authorities say the E. coli bacteria strain in France is not the same strain as Germany's outbreak. They seem to think it is not even as strong.
While E.coli bacteria aide in normal digestion of humans and animals and are harmless some strains of E.coli bacteria can cause serious illness and even death. Those most often affected are the aged, the very young, or those with compromised immunity.
The most common way to become infected with E.coli bacteria is through ground meat. It is very important to properly cook meat, which kills E. coli bacteria. Another way to become infected is by people preparing food that have not properly washed their hands after using the bathroom. Unpasteurized milk and juices, vegetables that have not been properly washed and drinking or swimming in contaminated water can all be potential dangers for acquiring E. coli infection.
From fresno_buzz on twitter:
3 Alaska cruises had norovirus outbreaks: Three Alaska cruises have had norovirus outbreaks this year# Read comments http://dlvr#it/WVCHr #http://twitter.com/fresno_buzz/statuses/81140224406720513#
Norovirus continues to cause problems on cruise ships. This is not the way anyone wants to spend a vacation. Staying in a small cabin near the bathroom for 3 or four days of a 7-10 days cruise can ruin a vacation for the passenger and those that accompany them. Most of these kinds of outbreaks can and are often avoided. Proper cleaning and sanitation, hand washing, air purification and filtration, and passengers admitting when they are ill, can and will significantly reduce the spread of Norovirus on cruise ships.
Air purification and filtration is often not talked about on cruise ships but when airborne pathogens can spread so quickly amongst so many people it might be one more item of sanitation to look at. It takes a combination of purification and sanitation to significantly reduce the spread of disease in any place of assembly.
Norovirus can spread through the air from the droplets created from toilet flushing and vomiting of infected individuals. Cleaning what is visible to the naked eye is obvious but those infectious microorganisms that we do not see can be transferred from one person to another by improper hand washing and preparing food, or touching surfaces that have not be properly sanitized, or ingesting airborne nuclei from droplets originated from the person who is infected.
Photocatalytic oxidation in air purification can significantly reduce the spread of airborne pathogens that cause disease and illness. Look and see how it works.
http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/news/2011/06/two-isolates-from-e-coli-outbreak-available.aspx
http://www.vbi.vt.edu/marketing_and_communications/press_releases_view/patric_sheds_light_on_e._coli_outbreak
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/8567593/E.coli-Germany-admits-that-locally-grown-bean-sprouts-are-cause-of-outbreak.html
The latest official update on the E. coli bacteria outbreak in Germany is available on the ICT (infection control today) website. They have identified the stains that have “killed more than 20 people and sickened more than 2000” the ICT report said. The PATRIC sight given above shares the findings of the report on E. coli in Germany.
A report today in “The Telegraph” (site also above) indicates that bean sprouts appear to be the culprit of this terrible outbreak of E.coli bacteria that has killed 29 and sickened almost 3000 people the report states. As you finish the article it reads, ”Gerd Lindermann, Lower Saxony farm minister, admitted that the cause of the poisoning might never be known. Bean sprouts were cleared as well as cucumbers. So the bottom line is, the cause is still unknown!
The farming industry in Spain as well as across Europe has taken a serious hit from this scare of E. coli bacteria outbreak. Germany sent out health warnings about eating raw vegetables namely cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. Loss of crops and revenue plummeted.
Regaining the trust of consumers after this scare will take time. It is somewhat understandable to panic and start assuming certain raw vegetables are the cause of such a terrible outbreak but assumptions like these can strike fear in consumers, cause financial devastation, and hurt the European Agriculture Industry.
We will continue to monitor health issues such as these that can affect the air you breathe and your overall health.
From LouiseMartinMA on twitter:
RT @BmthTwit 90 children sick in norovirus outbreak - Bournemouth Echo http://bit.ly/kI67JS hopefully doesn't spread at wimborne folk fest! (http://twitter.com/LouiseMartinMA/statuses/79156603995164672)
Norovirus is still in the news as its victims grow in number.
Norvirus is sweeping through a middle school threatening to shut it down if more school staff becomes infected with this nasty bug. Children are given hand gels to help reduce the spread of the Norovirus but it can be spread in the air. Hand gels may not be as effective as soap and water. (See previous blog on hand gels).
Air purification/filtration and ventilation could reduce the spread of Norovirus. Droplets from vomit and diarrhea can easily be inhaled by several students at a time and continue the rapid spreading of this virus.
Most often Norovirus is not life threatening and is usually over in two to three days. However Norovirus can spread very quickly and shut down schools, businesses, and make a vacation on a cruise ship not so enjoyable. Two to three days of illness may not seem very long until you are the one infected, then those few days can feel like an eternity.
The school is doing everything they know and are directed to do in reducing the spread of Norovirus using disinfectants to clean surfaces and encouraging hand washing after bathroom visits along with the use of hand gels.
The expense involved in caring for those infected, extra sanitation personnel, cleaning agents, and loss of time at work, need to be considered as well when evaluating the overall impact of outbreaks such as these. How can these kinds of scenarios be prevented or greatly reduced?
Places of assembly continue to be at high risk for the rapid spreading of viruses and bacteria. Increased education on air purification/filtration using photocatalytic oxidation, cleaning and sanitation of surfaces, and personal hygiene can significantly reduce the spread of pathogens such as Norovirus.
E.coli outbreaks in Germany continue to make the news. This raises concern in the U.S. because of a two year old girl in Lee County, Virginia dying from E.coli. The young girl’s brother has been hospitalized with E.coli infection as well.
The E. coli outbreaks that took the life of the two year old girl and hospitalized her brother are believed to have contracted the deadly bacteria from a contaminated swimming pool. Meanwhile eight other E coli outbreaks in Tennessee have been reported. Seven of those E.coli outbreaks are reportedly from the 0157:H1 E.coli strain of bacteria.
The E coli 104:H4 strain is more rare and dangerous than the 0157:H1 strain because it has a greater ability to adhere to intestinal membranes making it more difficult to treat with antibiotics. Contracting this strain of E.coli is not a death sentence. More often than not mild cases result. Those at highest risk of fatality are the very young, elderly, or immunocompromised.
Voice of America News2 reported today that officials have been unable to find the source that is causing these E.coli outbreaks in Germany. It was thought to be cucumbers, sprouts, tomatoes, or lettuce but those suspicions have turned out to be false. Great financial loss to farmers in Spain has resulted.
1. CDC report
http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2011/ecoliO104/
2. Voice of America News
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/German-E-coli-Infections-on-Decline--123451439.html
From sebastianlester on twitter:
RT @landshare: MRSA found in UK farms probably passed from cows to humans http://bit#ly/iK1Chp - overuse of antibiotics in dairy farming? #http://twitter.com/sebastianlester/statuses/76634023681728513#
New MRSA? We haven't conquered the old MRSA yet. Actually MRSA is constantly mutating and becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics. That seems to be the concern in the farming industry. Antibiotics are given to farm animals to help them resist illness and infection and insure greater productivity. If farm animals contract a MRSA strain it can increase the risk of MRSA mutating. This New MRSA can now infect other farm animals and possibly farm workers. The previous antibiotics used to help the farm animals resist illness are now useless against the New MRSA. In the UK “new MRSA” has been found in milk cows. There are too many unanswered questions thus far. This article commented that there is a very small chance it can be in milk, however pasteurizing the milk is said to kill new MRSA. Dairy farming is big business and factory farming is the preferred technique for successful dairy farming. More than 50% of livestock raised in the U.S.A. are concentrated on 5% of Factory farming.
The term Zoonotic diseases are those diseases and infections such as “new MRSA”, acquired from animals. Sleeping with pets should be avoided according to a report from the CDC in February 2011. Much care must be taken in keeping surfaces,and hands, clean and sanitized. Air filtration/purification is essential in factory farming to significantly reduce airborne pathogens like new MRSA.
From nytimes.com:
is oral-faecal and that makes unlikely a pandemic. Though that seems a new E Coli strain and therefore
Have you ever thought E. coli bacteria could be airborne? The recent E. coli bacteria outbreak in Europe is causing serious illness and death. Farmers are losing millions of dollars worth of crops. Russia is concerned about the safety of eating cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce from Spain and Germany for fear they could contain a deadly strain of E. coli bacteria. Is it the food, how did it get on the food? Is this type of E. coli bacteria airborne?
Europeans with E. coli bacteria are having further complications by developing HUS (Humolytic-uremic syndrome). HUS is a disorder that occurs when an infection in the digestive tract produces toxic substances that destroy red blood cells. This destruction of the red blood cells in turn starts shutting down the kidneys and can cause kidney failure and death.
HUS is often associated with an infection of E.coli bacteria. Humolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) more often occurs in children and is the most common cause of kidney failure. If an adult has HUS it is much more complicated and is associated with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Some of the symptoms of HUS are vomiting and diarrhea. Blood may be present in the vomit or stool. Weakness and irritability can set in as little as a week. Urination may lesson and even stop completely. Anemia, lethargy, decreased consciousness, bruising, and jaundice may also occur. With proper treatment more than half of those infected can recover.
The website below discusses airborne E. coli.
http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/sb-ESD-cataloging-bacteria.html
From environation on twitter:
Study finds fire stations contaminated with MRSA | e! Science News http://bit#ly/iwBQZT #http://twitter.com/environation/statuses/75978860683993088#
Once again the MRSA airborne pathogens are causing problems. It was discovered that firemen have it on surfaces at the station and in their nose. Oftentimes it may not affect these hard working men. However firemen often work long hours risking their lives for others with minimal sleep and that alone can weaken their immune system.
Firemen often spend days away from their families and are exposed to many life threatening situations. The fire station should be a safe place for them to rest without the dangers of acquiring disease and infection. The risk of injury on the job is great. Cuts, scrapes, and burns can be an open invitation for MRSA airborne pathogens to invade their exhausted bodies.
MRSA airborne pathogens can be found almost everywhere and if proper cleaning of hands, surfaces, equipment, and the air is done, MRSA airborne pathogens can be significantly reduced and make working environments much safer.
Firemen also work hard to keep their fire stations clean but the air they breathe is not something too many think about when at the station. Air purification can make a significant difference in reducing airborne pathogens and insuring better health to those that give of themselves to save lives and property.