Faecal bacteria join the commute

[tinofbeans 91]

Faecal bacteria join the commute

 

Commuters in the north were dirtier than in the south

More than one in four commuters has bacteria from faeces on their hands, an investigation suggests.

 

Scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine swabbed 409 people at bus and train stations in five major cities in England and Wales.

 

The further north they went, the more often they found commuters with faecal bacteria on their hands - men in Newcastle were the worst offenders.

 

Experts stressed the importance of hand hygiene for preventing illness.

 

The bacteria found suggested people were not washing their hands properly after using the toilet, said the researchers.

 

Toilet hands

 

In Newcastle and Liverpool, men were more likely than women to show contamination - 53% of men compared with 30% of women in Newcastle and 36% of men compared with 31% of women in Liverpool. We were flabbergasted by the finding that so many people had faecal bugs on their hands

 

Dr Val Curtis, director of the Hygiene Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

 

In the other three cities - London, Cardiff and Birmingham - the women's hands were dirtier.

 

People who had used the bus had higher rates of hand contamination than those who had used the train.

 

Manual workers had cleaner hands than other professionals, students, retired people or the unemployed.

 

Dr Val Curtis, director of the Hygiene Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "We were flabbergasted by the finding that so many people had faecal bugs on their hands.

 

"The figures were far higher than we had anticipated, and suggest that there is a real problem with people washing their hands in the UK. DIRTY HANDS

 

Newcastle - men 53%, women 30%

Liverpool - men 36%, women 31%

Birmingham - men 21%, women 26%

Cardiff - men 15%, women 29%

Euston (London) - men 6%, women 21%

 

"If any of these people had been suffering from a diarrhoeal disease, the potential for it to be passed around would be greatly increased by their failure to wash their hands after going to the toilet."

 

Professor Mike Catchpole, director of the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Infections, said: "These results are startling and should be enough to make anyone reach for the soap.

 

"It is well known that hand washing is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections, especially those that cause diarrhoea and vomiting, colds and flu.

 

"People should always wash their hands after using the toilet, before eating or handling food, and after handling animals. And remember to cover all cuts and scratches with a waterproof dressing."

 

Winter vomiting

 

The HPA's monitoring of infections over recent weeks suggests that cases of norovirus - the winter vomiting bug - are rising and that the annual norovirus season is likely to have begun.

 

Norovirus is the most common cause of gastrointestinal disease in the UK with peak activity in terms of numbers of cases and outbreaks during the winter months, from October to March.

 

It has been estimated that between 600,000 and a million people in the UK are affected each year.

 

Professor Catchpole said: "Norovirus is highly infectious and easily spread in settings where people are in close contact with one another so good hygiene, including frequent handwashing, is really important."

 

The study was part of the world's first Global Handwashing Day, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance hand hygiene plays in public health.

[Douggy B 0]

Something that was plainly obvious to me but it is nice to see it in writing.

 

Link?

[trophyshy 7099]

Something that was plainly obvious to me but it is nice to see it in writing.

 

Link?

 

R@cist.

[Guest Stevie]

Faecal bacteria join the commute

 

Commuters in the north were dirtier than in the south

More than one in four commuters has bacteria from faeces on their hands, an investigation suggests.

 

Scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine swabbed 409 people at bus and train stations in five major cities in England and Wales.

 

The further north they went, the more often they found commuters with faecal bacteria on their hands - men in Newcastle were the worst offenders.

 

Experts stressed the importance of hand hygiene for preventing illness.

 

The bacteria found suggested people were not washing their hands properly after using the toilet, said the researchers.

 

Toilet hands

 

In Newcastle and Liverpool, men were more likely than women to show contamination - 53% of men compared with 30% of women in Newcastle and 36% of men compared with 31% of women in Liverpool. We were flabbergasted by the finding that so many people had faecal bugs on their hands

 

Dr Val Curtis, director of the Hygiene Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

 

In the other three cities - London, Cardiff and Birmingham - the women's hands were dirtier.

 

People who had used the bus had higher rates of hand contamination than those who had used the train.

 

Manual workers had cleaner hands than other professionals, students, retired people or the unemployed.

 

Dr Val Curtis, director of the Hygiene Centre at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "We were flabbergasted by the finding that so many people had faecal bugs on their hands.

 

"The figures were far higher than we had anticipated, and suggest that there is a real problem with people washing their hands in the UK. DIRTY HANDS

 

Newcastle - men 53%, women 30%

Liverpool - men 36%, women 31%

Birmingham - men 21%, women 26%

Cardiff - men 15%, women 29%

Euston (London) - men 6%, women 21%

 

"If any of these people had been suffering from a diarrhoeal disease, the potential for it to be passed around would be greatly increased by their failure to wash their hands after going to the toilet."

 

Professor Mike Catchpole, director of the Health Protection Agency's Centre for Infections, said: "These results are startling and should be enough to make anyone reach for the soap.

 

"It is well known that hand washing is one of the most important ways of controlling the spread of infections, especially those that cause diarrhoea and vomiting, colds and flu.

 

"People should always wash their hands after using the toilet, before eating or handling food, and after handling animals. And remember to cover all cuts and scratches with a waterproof dressing."

 

Winter vomiting

 

The HPA's monitoring of infections over recent weeks suggests that cases of norovirus - the winter vomiting bug - are rising and that the annual norovirus season is likely to have begun.

 

Norovirus is the most common cause of gastrointestinal disease in the UK with peak activity in terms of numbers of cases and outbreaks during the winter months, from October to March.

 

It has been estimated that between 600,000 and a million people in the UK are affected each year.

 

Professor Catchpole said: "Norovirus is highly infectious and easily spread in settings where people are in close contact with one another so good hygiene, including frequent handwashing, is really important."

 

The study was part of the world's first Global Handwashing Day, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance hand hygiene plays in public health.

Have you seen what time you've put this post up FFS.

 

Do you not realise some people are trying to eat now!

[Guest Stevie]

Something that was plainly obvious to me but it is nice to see it in writing.

 

Link?

A large amount of muslim tribes use their hands wiping their arse rather than bog roll, that's not racist it's a fact, and you have more than us. I would've thought it would be the other way round.

[Guest alex]

Be interesting to know where they actually did it. How many people arriving at Newcastle Central would actually be from Newcastle?

[Jill 0]

This is why I keep Milton hand gel on my desk at work.

[Guest Stevie]

If they did this survey at Heathrow Terminal 3 the findings would be well different

[Tom 14021]

I don't really care about other people - my hands are clean.

 

Besides I'm from Durham so I'm more likely still to have coal on my hands

[Lazarus 0]

Its these dorty feckers who stand up to wipe - scruffs!

[Guest alex]

I don't really care about other people - my hands are clean.

 

Besides I'm from Durham so I'm more likely still to have coal on my hands

How do you think they open doors? Telekinetically?

[tinofbeans 91]

hmmmn. i'm from durham as well. i think i'm safe.

 

just wanted to gauge opinion.

[Park Life 71]

I don't really care about other people - my hands are clean.

 

Besides I'm from Durham so I'm more likely still to have coal on my hands

How do you think they open doors? Telekinetically?

 

 

I really try and avoid door handles and light switches.

[Douggy B 0]

Oh dear Stevie.

[Tom 14021]

To be honest Sky Sports probably did the poll at a local homeless shelter in Newcastle...

[Guest alex]

I don't really care about other people - my hands are clean.

 

Besides I'm from Durham so I'm more likely still to have coal on my hands

How do you think they open doors? Telekinetically?

 

 

I really try and avoid door handles and light switches.

So do I. Public / work toilets man

[Park Life 71]

I don't really care about other people - my hands are clean.

 

Besides I'm from Durham so I'm more likely still to have coal on my hands

How do you think they open doors? Telekinetically?

 

 

I really try and avoid door handles and light switches.

So do I. Public / work toilets man

 

 

The use of the elbow or waiting for victim a to open the door is the way forward.

[snakehips 0]

This is why I keep Milton hand gel on my desk at work.

 

That's a compulsive disorder you have!! Was it Hugh Heffner or Donald Trump (some multi billionaire) who had the same fixation??

 

A few jorms. hmmfff.

[Park Life 71]

This is why I keep Milton hand gel on my desk at work.

 

That's a compulsive disorder you have!! Was it Hugh Heffner or Donald Trump (some multi billionaire) who had the same fixation??

 

A few jorms. hmmfff.

 

 

Howard Hughes.

[snakehips 0]

This is why I keep Milton hand gel on my desk at work.

 

That's a compulsive disorder you have!! Was it Hugh Heffner or Donald Trump (some multi billionaire) who had the same fixation??

 

A few jorms. hmmfff.

 

 

Howard Hughes.

 

You win a Marathon/Snickers

 

I was in Selfridges 'restaurant' on Monday lunch (divvent dee it folks, the place is like a fuckin' crèche) and the cutlery is on the table, stood up on end in a cylindrical container. As I commented to Mrs Hips, imagine the amount of dorty fingas that have handled that lot prior to us touching it

[Guest alex]

This is why I keep Milton hand gel on my desk at work.

 

That's a compulsive disorder you have!! Was it Hugh Heffner or Donald Trump (some multi billionaire) who had the same fixation??

 

A few jorms. hmmfff.

 

 

Howard Hughes.

Close anyway

[Toonpack 10458]

So they do the survey at stations after people have commuted, one person (mackem likely) doesn't wash after a wipe pushes metro door button, holds onto rail in carriage, pays for paper with coins etc, everyone else who touches button, holds same rail or gets mackem stained coins as change get unwelcome fecal guests on their hands which they in turn spread to more surfaces which more people touch etc etc etc.

Edited October 15, 2008 by Toonpack

[Lazarus 0]

So they do the survey at stations after people have commuted, one person (mackem likely) doesn't wash after a wipe pushes metro door button, holds onto rail in carriage, pays for paper with coins etc, everyone else who touches button, holds same rail or gets mackem stained coins as change get unwelcome fecal guests on their hands which they in turn spread to more surfaces which more people touch etc etc etc.

 

thats generally how germs spread

[manc-mag 1]

you shitty-fingered bastards!

[Fop 1]

I don't really care about other people - my hands are clean.

 

Besides I'm from Durham so I'm more likely still to have coal on my hands

How do you think they open doors? Telekinetically?

 

 

I really try and avoid door handles and light switches.

So do I. Public / work toilets man

 

 

The use of the elbow or waiting for victim a to open the door is the way forward.

Ah.... the public toilet door scarper.