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economist sunlsuntribune health saturday nov 12 2005 toilet seat often cleaner than your desk by chris traber staff writer workplaces particularly during the cold and flu season can be haz ardous to your health according to local and american health experts the average work station is a veritable bacteria cafeteria infested with more germs per square inch than the office toilet seat a recent university of arizona study revealed research to determine germ hot zones areas that are prime habi tats for viruses causing colds and flu found typical office phones and desktops including computer key boards and mice have up to 25000 bacteria per square inch compared to a mere 49 bacteria per square inch on workplace toilet seats the reason for the unhealthy inequity is questionable hand hygiene and eating at desks where even inconsequential crumbs and food residue can linger as a magnet for mold and an array of organisms that can cause just as many ills basically if you do garments in one load and handkerchiefs in the next youre blowing your nose in what was in your underwear dr charles gerba university of arizona microbiologist and according to the study toi let seats are routinely disinfected while desks and equipment rarely get a thorough cleaning with more than 80 per cent of infections transmitted through the environment work desks become key transfer points university of arizona microbiologist dr charles gerba said with people coughing and sneezing work stations phones and computer keyboards become a viral minefield where germs can live for up to three days defending yourself against a legion of illnessinducing microbes dwelling on surfaces begins with common sense york region health services infection control team member tara cretney said a lot of people wait until their desk feels sticky before cleaning them she said you shouldnt wait until its visible we suggest they reg ularly clean their personal work space thats done by wiping down with a disinfectant every day that will reduce bacteria counts ms cretney recommended desk surfaces keyboards computer illustration by mike barrett keyboards computer mice phones drawer handles and work tools including staplers should be sanitized daily to kill germs according to york region health services infection control team mice phones drawer handles and work tools including staplers be sanitized daily with any readily available commercial disinfectant the best way to prevent food particles from becoming a haven for germs is to discontinue dining at the desk the public health nurse said if you must eat while labour ing clean up after yourself wipe before and after you eat and remember to clean any spills promptly ms cretney said protecting yourself against germ transmission is in everyones hands literally and figuratively a recent survey by the centres for disease control and prevention exposed some disturbing hand hygiene trends one in three adults dont wash their hands after using tire toilet and one in four dont wash after changing a babys diaper fewer know your germs there are four types of germs that can make you sick bacteria onecell entities that get nutrients from their environment including the human body in order to survive infectious bacteria can cause sore throats ear infec tions cavities and pneumonia bacteria are versatile and can live in temperatures above the boiling point and below freezing viruses these need to be in or on a living host such as a person animal or plant in order to grow and reproduce viruses inside a body are difficult to kill with conventional drugs they cause chicken pox measles colds flu and other diseases fungi multicell plantlike organisms that get their nutrition from humans animals and plants fungi live in damp warm places and can cause conditions such as athletes foot protozoa onecell organisms that thrive in moisture and often spread diseases through water some protozoa causes intestinal infections leading to diarrhea and nausea than half wash after handling pets or cleaning up after them only one in three wash after sneezing or coughing and hardly anyone wash es after handling money a major carrier of disease germs wash your hands often and avoid touching the eyes nose and mouth ms cretney said adding hand sanitizers are an excellent alternative to hand washing there are many different products and theyre good to use when soap and water is not close by while advocating a good soak ing with warm water and soap ms cretney said hand sanitizers should be applied so the skin feels wet then rubbed into the hands until dry most people simply dont clean their hands often enough or well she said wash throughout the day before food preparation and eating and after bathroom use and after coughing and sneezing ms cretney said she listed a simple sixstep hand washing routine wet the hands with warm water apply soap lather for 20 seconds rinse towel dry and turn the tap off germ hot zones the university of arizona study identified prime common areas harbouring cold and flucausing germs and the bacteria count per square inch kitchen sink sponges and dishcloths 7 billion kitchen faucets 229000 office phones 25000 desktops 21000 and office toilet seats 49 environments most contaminated with body fluids and the percentage of their surfaces that tested positive daycare 46 playgrounds 36 bus travel 35 gyms 28 theatres 26 restaurants 14 work 11 and medical offices 10 with the towel she said germs are everywhere and hardy said dr gerba a leading expert in microorganism transfer points contaminated water droplets are ejected into the air every time a toilet flushes landing on everything in a bathroom including tooth brushes he said significant quanti ties of microbes float around public and private washrooms for at least two hours after each flush laundry is another germ fest the professor said basically if you do garments in one load and handkerchiefs in the next youre blowing your nose in what was in your underwear dr gerba said its better to make underwear the last load and use chlorine bleach which will clean both the clothes and your washing machine not shy about his passion for germ study dr gerba said 20 per cent of coffee cups are oozing with fecal bacteria thanks to the sponges used to clean them according to health canada about 25 per cent of us are fefled by the flu each season and 26 per cent get flu shots ms cretney recommends get ting a free flu shot as part of her gen eral tips to staying healthy this win ter stay home if youre sick avoid those who are ill see a health care provider when needed get regular physical activity and maintain healthy nutrition she said manage your stress get enough sleep and wash your hands dt ltf m ashgrove spa for everyone j for a better looking lifestyle gift certificates gift baskets day- spa packages 6633 hwy 7th suite 304 markham tel 9052010343 wwwashgrovespacom we wish you a beautiful holiday season health and happiness