- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Air Quality Better in Northeast, Midwest
- Overweight Moms More Likely to Have Asthmatic Kids
- Molecule in Skin May Link Eczema and Asthma
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- New Insights Show Ginseng Fights Inflammation
- Traditional Chinese Therapy May Help Ease Eczema
- Indian Spice May Thwart Liver Damage
- ANIMAL CARE
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- Beware of Dog Bites
- Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style
- BONES & JOINTS
- Low Vitamin D Raises Women's Hip Fracture Risk
- Fractures in Older Adults Up Death Risk
- Extra Pounds in Mid-Life Affect Later Mobility
- CANCER
- Vitamin C Shows Promise as Cancer Treatment
- Massage Therapy Helps Those With Advanced Cancer
- Gene Screen May Predict Colon Cancer's Return
- CAREGIVING
- ER Less Likely to Diagnose Stroke in Younger Folks
- Exercise During Pregnancy May Help Baby
- Robots May Come to Aging Boomers' Rescue
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Salt Boosts Blood Pressure in High-Risk Patients
- Common Antioxidant Might Slow Parkinson's
- Migraines in Pregnancy Boost Vascular Risks
- COSMETIC
- Study Evaluates Laser Therapies for Hair Removal
- With Psoriasis, the Internet May Offer Hope
- What to Do If You Have Unsightly Veins
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Most Insured Adults Worry About Health Care Costs: Poll
- Periodontal Disease Impacts Whole Health
- Biological Product Shows Promise Against Gum Disease
- DIABETES
- Laughter May Lower Heart Attack Risk in Diabetics
- Findings Challenge Tight Glucose Control for Critically Ill Patients
- Red-Grape Compound May Improve Diabetes
- DIET, NUTRITION
- The Food Irradiation Story
- Eat Light - Live Longer
- Low Vitamin A, C Intake Tied to Asthma Risk
- DISABILITIES
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Fish in U.S. Rivers Tainted With Common Medications
- Genetics, Environment Shape Sexual Behavior
- Common Pesticide Tied to Development Delays in Kids
- EYE CARE, VISION
- High Temps Degrade Contact Lens Solution: Study
- Omega-3 Foods May Lower Eye Disease Risk
- When Gauging Age, the Eyes Have It
- FITNESS
- Have Fun This Summer, But DO Be Careful
- When It Comes to Lifting, the Pros Have Your Back
- Avoiding a Holiday Season of Discontent
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Traditional Nonsurgical GERD Treatments Not Impressive
- Olive Oil May Protect Against Bowel Disease
- Peppermint Oil, Fiber Can Fight Irritable Bowel
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Simple Holistic Approach to Fight the Common Cold
- Eating Lots Of Vegetables, Olive Oil May Extend Life
- Most Fast-Food French Fries Cooked in Unhealthiest Oil
- HEAD & NECK
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Using Light Therapy to Silence Harmful Brain Activity
- Study Suggests Link Between Cell Phones and Brain Tumors
- Imaging Sheds Light on How Acupuncture Works
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- An Apple a Day May Help Keep Heart Disease Away
- Fondness for Fish Keeps Japanese Hearts Healthy
- Review Confirms Links Between Diet, Heart Health
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- More Medicinal Uses for Pomegranate
- Swine Flu Closes Three Schools in NYC
- Older Adults May Have Some Immunity to Swine Flu
- KID'S HEALTH
- Plastics Chemical Tied to Aggression in Young Girls
- Exercise During Pregnancy Keeps Newborn Size Normal
- Most Depressed Teens Don't Get Treatment
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Varicose Veins May Mask Larger Problem
- Whole Grains, Bran May Fight Hypertension in Men
- Countdown to Hair Loss
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Shop 'Til You Drop: You May Feel Better
- Meditation, Yoga Might Switch Off Stress Genes
- Living Alone Increases Odds of Developing Dementia
- PAIN
- 'Cell Phone Elbow' -- A New Ill for the Wired Age
- Tai Chi May Help Ease Fibromyalgia
- Acupuncture, Real or Fake, Eases Back Pain
- PREGNANCY
- Sleeping Could Help Women Lose The Baby Fat
- Heart Defects in Newborns Linked to Antidepressants
- For Baby and Mom Alike, Breast-Feeding May Be Best
- SENIORS
- Many Cancer Survivors Don't Adopt Healthy Lifestyle
- Fitness Fades Fast After 45
- The Juice From Beetroots May Boost Stamina
Are Hospital Mobile Phones Dialing Up Superbugs?
By eHolistic.com Published: 03/06/2009
FRIDAY, March 6 (HealthDay News) -- A new culprit has emerged in the spread of the tough-to-kill "superbug" bacteria and other infections in hospitals -- mobile phone headsets.
Turkish researchers testing the phones of doctors and nurses working in hospitals found that 95 percent were contaminated with bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which can cause serious staph infections and is resistant to certain common antibiotics.
The team from the Faculty of Medicine at the Ondokuz Mayis University also found that only 10 percent of the staff regularly cleaned their phones.
"Our results suggest cross-contamination of bacteria between the hands of health care workers and their mobile phones. These mobile phones could act as a reservoir of infection which may facilitate patient-to-patient transmission of bacteria in a hospital setting," the authors wrote in their study, published online in the Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials.
To combat the spread of disease and infections through contaminated hand-held electronic devices, the authors recommended proactive strategies to disinfect and decontaminate the devices and the practice of improved hand hygiene.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about MRSA.
-- Kevin McKeever
SOURCE: BioMed Central, news release, March 5, 2009
Last Updated: March 06, 2009
Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.
More articles at www.eholistic.com
