Whether discussing E.coli bacteria or cold and flu viruses, all of the experts agree: One of the best ways to prevent the spread of germs and infection is cleanliness, both personal and environmental.
From frequent and thorough hand-washing to using a tissue to cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze to regularly cleaning your kitchen countertops and office phone, good hygiene is key to preventing the spread of infection.
“Because bacteria, viruses and other infectious organisms (germs) spread through direct and indirect contact, people need to be aware of the sanitary measures they should take to decrease their risk of getting sick and of spreading infectious disease and illness to others,” said Annette Reboli, M.D., Head of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Cooper University Hospital.
Germs that spread such illnesses as colds, flu, and gastrointestinal disorders can be transferred directly, through person-to-person contact, and/or indirectly, through surface contact and airborne transmission.
Germs can be directly transferred when someone with an infectious bacterium or virus coughs on, kisses or touches another person.
Germs can be indirectly transferred when someone touches an object or surface, such as a doorknob or tabletop, which an infected person had touched. In this situation, called hand-to-hand contact, the germs lingering on the doorknob are picked up on the hands of others who introduce the germs into their bodies when they touch their eyes, noses or mouths.
The transferal of germs on the hands also comes into play in the kitchen, when inadequate hand hygiene contributes to such food-related illnesses as salmonella and E.coli infection.
The length of time that germs can survive on environmental surfaces depends on the specific organism and type of surface, but the suspected time for cold and flu viruses ranges from a few seconds to 48 hours. However, proper cleaning with a detergent and antibacterial will usually solve the problem.
Another way germs can spread indirectly is through droplets and particles that travel in the air. When someone with a cold or flu coughs or sneezes, droplets containing the germ that caused the illness are expelled into the air. These droplets can travel about three feet. If they come into contact with someone’s eyes, nose or mouth, the germs enter that person’s body. Germs that travel through the air in particles, which are considerably smaller and much lighter than droplets, can remain suspended in the air for long periods of time and travel on air currents. If someone breathes in an airborne infectious particle, the transferal of germs occurs. Tuberculosis, influenza and colds caused by viruses are a few of the infectious diseases and illnesses usually spread through airborne droplets and particles. That’s why it is so important to “cover” coughs and sneezes.
Germs can also enter the body through open cuts and wounds, as is the case with MRSA, the bacterial “super bug” MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, an antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria typically spread by skin-to-skin contact. Staph bacteria are normally found on the skin or in the noses of about 30 percent of the population with no ill effects. These people are said to be “colonized” with the bacteria but not infected. However, if this bacterium enters an open cut or wound on a person who isn’t colonized, the life-threatening MRSA infection occurs when the bacteria burrow deeper in the body, invading the bloodstream, urinary tract, lungs and heart. Recommendations to prevent the spread of MRSA include covering/bandaging cuts, scrapes and wounds; not sharing personal items such as towels, razors, clothing, or athletic equipment and uniforms; and washing your hands regularly.
“Clearly, washing your hands is a simple and critical way to avoid infectious diseases and keep from spreading them,” Dr. Reboli said. “But you must wash your hands frequently throughout the day, and you must wash them properly.”
Dr. Reboli offers these guidelines on how to prevent the spread of infection:
- Clean Your Hands – Use soap and warm water. Clean your fingernails, hands and wrists. Or, if your hands do not look dirty, clean them with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Rub the sanitizer all over your hands, especially under your nails and between your fingers, until your hands are dry. Clean your hands before touching or eating food. Clean them after you use the bathroom, take out the trash, change a diaper or play with a pet.
- Cover Your Mouth and Nose – Use a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and keep tissues handy at home, at work and in your pocket. Be sure to throw away used tissues and then clean your hands. If you don’t have a tissue, cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your elbow. If you use your hands for cover, be sure to wash them immediately.
- Avoid Close Contact – If you are sick with a fever or other symptoms of contagious illness, stay away from other people and stay home.
Following these steps will help prevent the spread of infection. However, when symptoms of infection occur, be sure to see your family doctor, who will refer you to a specialist in infectious disease if necessary.