What is a Spring Onion? is it a superfood?

June 3, 2014June 4, 2014

Spring onion is a real vitamin bomb that protects you from various diseases and strengthens your health.

Whether you eat it fresh or as a seasoning, onion will enrich your body in addition to vitamins, many minerals, and phytochemicals, which makes it one of the healthiest foods.

Therefore, make the most of the season!

Bone Health
Only one stalk of spring onion contains about 20 micrograms of vitamin K, and 1.6 mg of vitamin C.

When it comes to women’s needs for these vitamins, one stalk of spring onion contains 22 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K and 2.1 percent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C.

Tn men, it is 16 percent of the recommended dose of vitamin K and almost 2 percent of vitamin C.

Both vitamins are essential for growth, development and maintenance of bone health and strength. If your diet does not contain sufficient amount of these vitamins, increases the likelihood of developing osteoporosis, and a higher percentage of bone fragility.

Eye Health
For our body vitamin A is essential for the production of rhodopsin, protein in the eyes that allows receptors of the retina that to absorb the light.

People whose diet does not contain sufficient amounts of vitamin A may develop night blindness and other vision problems, including corneal ulcers.

The stalk of spring onion contains 24 micrograms of vitamin A in the form of vitamin A that the body converts into retinol, an active form of the vitamin.

This amount of vitamin A meet 3.4 percent of the daily requirement for women and 2.6 percent among men.

Heart Health
Vitamins A and C, which can be found in foods such as onions, have a strong anti-oxidant properties.

This means that the mentioned vitamins can prevent damage to the cell tissue caused by action of free radicals.

A diet rich in foods with high levels of antioxidants, especially fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

Vitamin C may also help in lowering high blood pressure which, in turn, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Boost your Immune System

Research shows that onions are rich source of phytochemicals, especially compounds of flavonoids, such as quercetin and anthocyanins.

These particular phytochemical compounds are actually natural chemicals in plants, that can improve the immunity.

Additionally, studies show that flavonoids may also helps at prevention of cancer by elimination of xanthine oxidase, an enzyme which produces the free radicals.

Source: secretly healthy

8 Super Food That Can Save Your Life

June 3, 2014

Hamburger smells more tempting than dish of cooked vegetables, right? But a healthy diet can become fun if you’re in the mood for innovations. These super foods can really change your life and maintain healthy life.

We present 8 new fighters against cancer, aging, fatigue. All you need to is to add to the plate immediately.

1) Quinoa
While it is one of the oldest grains for us, it seems to be relatively new, because just few are informed of the nutritional benefits that are gained with its consumption. Good to know that only half a cup of quinoa meets the daily needs for protein. Besides containing calcium (one cup cooked quinoa has 30 milligrams) and iron (1 cup cooked quinoa contains 15 % of the recommended daily intake of iron), phosphorus, vitamin E and almost all vitamins of the B group. Quinoa is rare food where you can find the whole 8 essential amino acids needed for the development of human tissue.

2) Licorice root Why should you consume it? It is proved good medicine in the prevention of prostate cancer. In addition, he is a proven remedy against lung diseases, ulcer of the stomach and liver problems.

3) Oil from apricot seeds Vitamin B17 is the main component for which you need to consume this oil. Why? Because of its anticancer properties. The oil from the seeds of apricot is a good choice of beta – carotene, and helps with infections and skin problems. Lycopene, which is found in apricot, is very effective in the fight against free radicals. From vitamins, apricot contains carotenoids (1500 mg), folic acid, vitamins E and C. From the mineral it contains enough potassium (320 mg .), calcium (17 mg .), phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper.

4) Arame Arame algae are a great ally in the fight against cancer because of the presence of lignan. They are recommended for women who go to chemotherapy because it accelerate hair growth, strengthen nails, and skin becomes shiny. They are a rich source of protein and vitamins A, B1, B2, K, and from minerals it contains calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine and most (50 grams meet the daily requirements for iodine). If you consume it regularly you can treate intestines, it improves the function of the lymphatic system, establishes hormonal balance, stabilize blood sugar and discharged heavy metals and other toxins from the body.

5) Wild rice In fact it is a grass that is rich in protein, minerals, fiber, B vitamins, folic acid. Does not contain gluten, while they are recommended for people with high cholesterol or those on a diet, because of the low calorific value and low fat percentage. Half cup wild rice contains 95 mg. folic acid or 53 % of your daily needs. Half cup of wild rice also has a 1.1 mg. zinc, and contains magnesium, calcium and iron.

6) Chia Chia contains essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6. These fatty acids can not be synthesized by our bodies, and we need them to maintain a sufficient amount of immune, cardiovascular, nervous and reproductive system. Apart from the essential fatty acids, chia seeds provide dietary fiber, calcium, niacin, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus (2 teaspoons chia = 7 d. of dietary fiber, 2 g. of protein, 205 mg. of calcium and 5 g. of omega

7) Kelp This brown algae proven to reduce the chances of breast cancer, contains vitamin C, calcium and other essential ingredients. The fiber from the kelp blocks the creation of fat. Because of the high concentration of iodine, you should be careful with consumption.

8) Chickpeas Although looks like the chick peas, chickpeas has its own unique smell and taste nice. It is beneficial for diabetics because it prevents a sudden increase in blood sugar, and recent studies say that it lower the risk of heart disease by 80 %. In its nutritional composition, chickpeas contains much folic acid (great for anemic), manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc and fiber that reduce elevated cholesterol.

Source: evident weight loss

Natural Remedy for Elevated Blood Sugar

June 3, 2014

Blood Sugar
When the findings are disappointing, and your doctor will ask whether you want to start insulin therapy or try a diet to reduce blood sugar. Many succeeded to heal and to maintain normal blood sugar levels, using this natural remedy.

Ingredients

A horseradish root, medium size (about 20 cm long, 2 cm wide)
One clove garlic
2 beers

Preparation
Wash the horseradish root nice several times. Leave to stand for 15-20 minutes in water in which you have added a cup of malic acid. Don’t peel it, chop finely or grind it. Along with finely chopped garlic place them into a larger jar and pour the beer. Close the jar and store it for 10 days in a dark place. Then strain and use as follows:

The first two days, one teaspoon three times a day.
Further use one tablespoon three times a day.
Treatment is for one month.

In addition, you should drink 150 ml oatmeal water, 4 times a day, properly arranged.
(50 g oatmeal boil over on low heat for 15 minutes, then let it stand for 1 hour. Grains are squeezed, then strained through gauze).

Source: healthy tavern

An innovative technology to improve Hand Hygiene in Hospitals

June 2, 2014June 2, 2014

Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) are the leading cause of death after cancer and heart disease. Over 103,000 people in the US die every year due to HAIs. The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that over 5 million people lose their lives every year due to some form of HAI.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 70 per cent of these lives could be saved if the Health Care Workers (HCWs) across the globe followed the prescribed hand hygiene guidelines. In spite of the established advantages of proper hand hygiene in healthcare settings, the compliance to prescribed guidelines is dismally low. Hand Hygiene Compliance (HHC) is barely 30 per cent in the US and around 35 per cent in Europe. The situation is much worse in the developing countries.

Hand hygiene is considered the primary measure to reduce the transmission of nosocomial pathogens. Non-compliance with hand hygiene, however, remains a major problem in hospitals. Within the hospital environment, preventing the spread of antibiotic resistant germs through good hand hygiene is critical.

To serve this purpose and make hand hygiene an easy and reliable process, a multidisciplinary team of an engineer, a product designer and a clinician has come up with a novel technology that could reduce possible chances of spread of infection via hand and could help reduce HAIs from the healthcare settings.

The new technology named ‘Hansure’ by Observe Design is a joint innovation of Aanan Khurma, an electronics engineer; Saurabh Bag, a product designer; and Agyeya Dwivedi, an occupational therapist.

Hansure is a wearable compact technology, composed of a hand disinfectant ensuring all time access to disinfection. The device carries a smart sensing technology that intimates HCWs at precise instants when they are required to sanitize their hands.

The device aims to empower healthcare workers to adhere to the WHO prescribed hand hygiene guidelines. These guidelines are difficult to follow in the existing scenario where multiple factors like lack of time, high inconvenience, forgetfulness and some negligence at play prevent HCWs from being 100 per cent compliant to hand hygiene guidelines.

Aanan Khurma, a part of the team and a consultant with the Stanford India Biodesign programme, told India Medical Times, “Our team has worked for several months at the ground level with HCWs in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to identify the fundamental causes of poor hand hygiene in healthcare settings. Our team found out that although WHO guidelines are flawless in preventing spread of infections, they are impossible to adhere to in the existing infrastructure.”

“Our novel solution, Hansure, will ensure that no infections are ever spread through the hands of healthcare workers. We are working to empower healthcare workers rather than penalizing them. Apart from making hand hygiene convenient, our device also protects HCWs from posture related ailments, which affect 50 per cent of entire HCWs at some point or the other. Hansure tackles all these issues simultaneously ensuring that no opportunity for hand hygiene is ever missed by any healthcare worker. All this is done in accordance with the WHO guidelines,” he added.

Most healthcare providers are taught to wash their hands before and after patient contact, however, measuring this accurately on a large scale is extremely difficult, if not impossible. The technology could save time of healthcare workers by as much as 65 per cent, which in turn increases productivity. It makes hand hygiene a convenient process for them and protects them from contracting infections besides preventing posture related problems. Moreover, it does not rely on monitoring, forcing, judging or penalizing.

In order to contain healthcare costs, preventative actions in patient safety are clear ways to decrease expenses. In the past, no one had quantified the value of preventative actions, such as hand hygiene, in decreasing healthcare costs. For administrators, the technology could decrease average hospital stay per patient and reduce expenditure on patient care. Low cases of negligence would further help in reduced legal hassles and brand building. Reduced financial burden on healthcare system would ultimately help in saving taxpayers’ money. In a proper hand hygiene set up in hospitals, patients also feel relieved from the fear of contracting secondary infection when they visit a healthcare facility.

The traditional approach to increase compliance towards hand hygiene among HCWs has been to manually monitor them and penalize them for their non-compliance. Currently, methods to determine hand hygiene adherence include direct observation, product utilization, and reporting of hand hygiene activities, but these are subjective and unreliable.

Not only this technique is inherently flawed, it consumes numerous amounts of man-hours and does not significantly improve the compliance towards hand hygiene. Moreover, such monitoring creates a tense work environment in the healthcare setting where a management person monitors trained healthcare workers and then criticizes them for their behaviour.

Lately, there have been some new technologies in the area of hand hygiene like Mobile/Tablet based apps ZigBEE and RFID (radio-frequency identification) based monitoring solutions that aim to promote hand hygiene among healthcare workers.

Khurma said, “All these upcoming technologies are just trying to mimic the manual monitoring process. The only difference being that these new technologies are automating the process of monitoring, logging data and penalizing the healthcare workers. These systems require huge infrastructure changes, backend server installation, and manpower for backend data management and with so many components maintenance is frequently required. Our solution works to simplify the entire hand hygiene process rather than complicating it.”

The innovators are the product of Stanford India Biodesign Programme, under which the fellows are trained to identify unmet medical needs and design new and cost effective devices to serve India’s specific healthcare needs.

Source: India medical times

10 Nervous Habits That Hurt Your Health

June 2, 2014June 2, 2014

Nix these tics
Nervous habits are often more annoying to the people around you than to yourself, but some types of fidgeting and fussing can do real harm. Here, experts reveal the reasons why nail-biting, hair-twirling, and other seemingly harmless habits can be hazardous to your health.

You bite your nails
It’s one thing if you nervously bite your nails only during scary movies, but when it becomes a regular habit, it can damage both your nails and the skin around them, says Michael Shapiro, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist. Germs from the mouth get transferred to the skin, and vice versa. “Bacteria under the nails may also be transferred to mouth, causing infections of the gums and throat,” Dr. Shapiro says. Painting your nails may discourage you from chewing. No dice? Try tape to break the habit.

You twirl and pull your hair
Twisting and twirling a piece of hair around your finger can lead to damage to the root over time, says Ariel Ostad, MD, a dermatologist based in New York City. “This can result in temporary or permanent areas of hair loss as well as infection,” Dr. Ostad says. Obsessive hair pulling may be a sign of a psychiatric impulse control condition called trichotillomania, which requires psychotherapy and medication.

You crack your neck
Twisting your head forcibly to one side releases gases built up in the the joints between vertebrae and creates a popping sound. Although this may feel good, repeatedly cracking your neck can make the surrounding ligaments hypermobile and more susceptible to injury, says Michael Gleiber, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and affiliate assistant professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine in Boca Raton. In addition, this excessive motion on the facet joints themselves can cause wear within the joints and may result in arthritis over time. In rare cases neck cracking may trigger a stroke, says Dr. Gleiber.

You touch your face
Repeatedly touching your face or picking at acne can damage the top very thin microscopic layers of the skin, says Jessica Krant, MD, board certified dermatologist and founder of Art of Dermatology and assistant clinical professor of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City. “If you bleed, you may have just created a permanent scar,” she says. “Do not pick at pimples or itchy areas. Treat them gently with topical creams and plenty of moisturizer.

You grind your teeth
Clenching and grinding your teeth (bruxism) when you’re under stress can wreak havoc with your oral health. Grinding can cause teeth to crack or break, which may require repair with crowns or root canals. It can also result in damage to the jaw joint in the form of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), says Justin Philipp, who has a dental practice in Chandler, Ariz. “People clench or grind their teeth as a response to stress. However, most cases are a result of pathology such as misaligned or missing teeth and a ‘bad bite.'” Treatments include orthodontics to improve the bite and even Botox injections in the muscles, which can reduce the amount of force and, therefore, the potential damage.

You suck on hard candies
Sucking on hard candies bathes your teeth in sugar, which can lead to cavities, says Philipp. Bacteria feed off the sugar, which creates a perfect environment for tooth decay. Chomping down on hard candy can also risk damaging teeth or dental restorations, says Jack Ringer, president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. “Sucking on candies in moderation is fine provided the candies are sugarless and low in acidity,” Dr. Ringer says

You lick or bite your lip
Nervously licking your lips exposes them to your mouth’s digestive enzymes, says Whitney Bowe, MD, a New York board-certified dermatologist. “These enzymes chew away at the skin and can lead to dermatitis and cheilitis (inflammation), which make lips appear dry and cracked,” she says. Biting your lips when under stress can cause the development of fibromas, firm flesh colored growths, that may require surgical removal, says Coyle S. Connolly, MD, dermatologist and president of Connolly Dermatology in New Jersey.

You gnaw on the inside of your cheek
Like biting your nails, cheek-chewing can also become a nervous habit. “Often the inside of the cheek gets swollen and it then becomes easier to continue biting the same spot,” says Ringer. “Even after it heals the habit continues.” Over time this can result in chronic inflammation, possible bleeding, and scarring of the area.

You chew gum
All that snapping and popping does more than annoy your coworkers. It may also put you at risk for TMJ from overuse of jaw muscles, says Philipp. Sugarless gum presents a different set of problems, mainly digestive ailments. Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener, produces an unpleasant laxative effect when eaten in excess (18 to 20 sticks a day). Swallowing excess air while chewing also increases risk of a gassy stomach, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). “It is usually easier to try to replace the habit with another one than it is to quit, so try something a healthier switch such as drinking water,” says Philipp.

You nibble the ends of pencils and pens
Germs can lurk on the ends of pens so this habit can expose you to nasty pathogens including cold viruses, says Ted Myatt, director of research compliance at the University of Rhode Island. “An infected person likely has the virus on his or her fingers and spreads it through pens as well as computer keyboards and telephones.” And aside from the embarrassment of ink on your mouth from an exploding pen, chewing on writing instruments can damage teeth and dental work as well as injure the soft tissue and gums inside the mouth, says Ringer.

Source: the health

FDA taking another look at mercury in seafood

June 2, 2014

The Food and Drug Administration is updating its advice for pregnant women on the appropriate levels of mercury in seafood. Commissioner Margaret Hamburg says the agency won’t require mercury labels on seafood packages.

In a wide-ranging interview Friday with The Associated Press, Hamburg said the agency will update guidance on mercury in different varieties of seafood and what that means, a long-awaited move aimed at helping women better understand what to eat when they’re pregnant.
“It’s an advisory, not an effort to mandate labeling,” Hamburg said. “Different seafood products do contain different levels of mercury, and so different seafood products can be rated in terms of levels of mercury.”

Eating fish is part of a heart-healthy diet, and many types are good sources of omega-3 fatty acids that are important for brain development.
But fish also can absorb small amounts of mercury, a neurotoxin, from streams and oceans — and a small number of varieties harbor higher levels.

For most people, accumulating mercury from eating seafood isn’t a health risk. But for a decade, the FDA has warned that pregnant women, those who may become pregnant, and young children avoid certain types of high-mercury fish because of concern that too much could harm a developing brain.

Consumer groups have sued the agency, saying the warnings weren’t clear enough about what to avoid, and seeking labeling to help so that shoppers wouldn’t have to remember which products are OK during pregnancy or for youngsters.

“We can’t ask consumers to memorize two different lists of fish,” said Caroline Smith DeWaal of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, one of the groups that sued.

DeWaal said the new advisory will be an improvement if it gives consumers better information, especially if that information could be kept at fish counters in grocery stores and retail outlets.
The seafood industry says the government shouldn’t look at mercury by itself, but at the benefits of seafood. Jennifer McGuire of the National Fisheries Institute says the original FDA guidelines warning against some types of fish for pregnant women just served to decrease overall seafood intake.

“That would be very concerning if there was a ‘good fish, bad fish’ list,” she said.

The government’s 2010 Dietary Guidelines incorporated FDA’s warnings to say that pregnant or breastfeeding women should consume 8 to 12 ounces of a variety of seafood per week. But it said they should not eat tilefish, shark, swordfish and king mackerel because of the mercury content and it advised limiting white albacore tuna to six ounces a week.
On other food-related issues, Hamburg said deciding which businesses will have to post calorie labels has been “one of the more complex undertakings of my tenure as FDA commissioner.”

The food industry is closely watching FDA to see which establishments are included in final menu labeling rules, which are expected this year. Congress required the labels in 2010 health overhaul, and supermarkets and convenience stores have lobbied aggressively since then to be excluded. But the restaurant industry says that all establishments serving prepared foods should have to post the labels.

She said the increasing amount of caffeine in a whole range of foods “has gotten our attention and concern” and that the agency needs to better understand the role of the stimulant in non-traditional products, especially on children. She said the science is not absolutely clear about its effects.

The agency is investigating the safety of energy drinks and energy shots, prompted by consumer reports of illness and death. FDA is also looking at caffeine in food as manufacturers have added caffeine to candy, nuts and other snack foods in recent years.
On genetically modified foods, Hamburg reiterated her support for voluntary labels, and said a “considerable amount of scientific study” does not suggest the kinds of public health concerns that some consumers have worried about. Advocates for GM labeling have been pushing state laws that require the labels.

As such, she says she does not believe FDA should have to do a mandatory safety review of all engineered foods. FDA now reviews the safety of GM animals, but has a voluntary review for companies that want to sell modified crops for consumption.

Source: news press now

5 reasons why grapes are good for you

June 2, 2014

Most of us love eating grapes. This juicy fruit is a rich source of vitamins A, C, B6 and folate. Grapes are a powerhouse of flavonoids and antioxidants, which help in reducing the damage caused by free radicals and slow down the process of ageing.

The best part about this ‘Queen of fruits’ is that they can be consumed in many ways – like grape juice, in wines etc.

Here are a few health benefits of the wonder fruit:

Grape juice is the best home remedy to treat migraine pains.
Research suggests that grape seed can be combined with chemotherapy to improve treatment for bowel cancer.
Adding grapes to your diet can help you lessen that excruciating knee pain.
Studies suggest that eating grapes helps lower blood pressure and improve heart function.
Grapes help in aiding digestion process thereby preventing dyspepsia.

Source: Zee news

Five surprising health benefits of Pumpkin!

May 30, 2014

Many of us don’t know the wondrous health benefits of pumpkin. In fact, this big orange orb is jam-packed with nutrients and is one of nature’s nutritional powerhouses. Pumpkin is considered as a storehouse of many anti-oxidant vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. It is also a rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium and phosphorus.

Here are the five reasons why you should indulge in this ‘superfood’ pumpkin.

Good for eyes: Eating pumpkin can help protect the eyes from cataracts and degeneration due to its vitamin A content.

Good for skin: Pumpkin is good for the skin. It is packed with skin-protecting beta-carotenes that can boost your beauty routine. Pumpkin can help diminish fine lines and wrinkles because of its rich content of essential fatty acids. The vitamin C in pumpkin helps the skin to maintain its beautiful glow and elasticity, while the alpha -carotene found in this healthy food cuts back the aging process.

Helps loose weight: Pumpkin contains no saturated fats or cholesterol and is very low in calorie. Rich in dietary fiber, the vegetable is a great food for cholesterol controlling and weight loss programs.

Good for teeth and bone: Pumpkin is also good for bones and teeth health due to its rich magnesium content in the pulp and the seeds. So have pumpkin to avoid tooth decay and cavities.

Fight diseases: Pumpkin has lots of disease-fighting properties. Having this vegetable can help prevent heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, etc. It is also believed to protect from age-related muscular disease (ARMD) in the old age.

Source: Zee news

Cholera vaccine is 86 percent effective: Study

May 30, 2014

A cheap and easy to deliver oral vaccine against cholera is 86 percent effective in preventing the infection which causes severe diarrhea and can be fatal, researchers said on Thursday. Some 1.4 billion people around the globe were at risk for cholera in 2012, according to World Health Organization (WHO).

Cholera is caused by a bacterium, Vibrio cholerae, which can spread through the water supply in places where sanitation and hygiene are poor.

The study in the May 29 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine was the first to measure the effectiveness of a vaccine called Shanchol in response to a cholera outbreak under field conditions in Guinea.

Previously, the vaccine had been tested only under experimental conditions in Kolkata, India.

The research in Guinea, carried out by Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres), involved more than 300,000 doses of the two-dose vaccine, administered during a cholera outbreak in 2012.

It was 82 to 86 percent effective, and carried few side effects.

However, researchers were unable to compare one versus two doses in preventing cholera, and it remains unknown how the long the vaccine can remain effective at room temperature.

“Furthermore, can Shanchol be used in pregnancy and in children younger than one year of age?” asked a pair of doctors in Haiti and the United States, in an accompanying Perspective article in the journal.

“Although WHO recommendations suggest targeting pregnant women at high risk for cholera, the manufacturer has not approved use of the vaccine in pregnancy, and there are no guidelines for children under one year old.”

There are three cholera vaccines currently on the world market.

Shanchol is less expensive and easier to store than another leading vaccine, Dukoral, and the two are comparable in terms of effectiveness.

Shanchol costs $1.85 per dose, compared to Dukoral at $5.25 per dose. Both may offer some protection against cholera for up to five years.

The two vaccines have been approved by the World Health Organization for purchase by UN agencies. A third vaccine, mORCVAX, is licensed and produced only in Vietnam.

More than 1.6 million doses of Shanchol have already been distributed worldwide in the past three years.

The WHO has stockpiled two million doses and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) has pledged support for 20 million doses over the next five years, said the editorial, warning that millions more doses are needed.

Source: Times of India

Airplane Seat-Back Pockets Germier Than Toilet Handles

May 29, 2014

Concerned about germs while traveling by plane? It turns out that your seat-back pocket might actually be germier than the toilet handle, according to a new study, which also suggests that certain bacteria can linger on surfaces within airplanes for longer than a week.

In the study, researchers found that the antibiotic-resistant bacterium known as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) lived on material from a seat-back pocket for a week, which is longer than it lived on any other surface found in airplanes. It actually lasted for the shortest amount of time on the toilet handle.

How Tiny Bugs Can Slow Down An Airplane
We’ve all had insects smash into our windshield when driving. Gross, yes, but it’s not a major problem. But for the airlines … it is!

The bacterium E. coli O157:H7, a common culprit in outbreaks of foodborne illness, survived longest on the material from the armrest, living there for four days.

“We do not know how likely it is for a passenger to get infected, but the odds are higher when groups of people are put into a crowded room or cabin,” said James M. Barbaree, an associate director for research at Auburn University in Alabama. [6 Superbugs to Watch Out For]

“Good hygiene practices lower the risk” of getting sick, Barbaree told Live Science.

The bacteria the researchers looked at are common in the environment, and people may be exposed to them and not even get sick. However, E. coli O157:H7 may cause severe diarrhea, and can even lead to hemolytic-uremic syndrome, a disorder that destroys blood cells and can be fatal, especially in children younger than age 5 and older adults. Infection with MRSA can cause skin diseases and pneumonia.

In the study, the researchers tested how long MRSA and E. coli bacteria could survive in an aircraft cabin while exposed to typical airplane conditions that included human sweat and saliva. The researchers tested the bacteria’s “survival skills” on six surfaces they obtained from a major airline carrier: an armrest, a plastic tray table, a metal toilet handle, a window shade, a seat pocket cloth and seat leather.

The reason certain types of bacteria survived longer on plane surfaces may be related to their differing structures, the researchers said.

Source: Discovery news

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