Your Pooch Could Raise Your Home’s Bacteria Count

WEDNESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Man's best friend may bring millions more microscopic pals into the average human home, a new study suggests.

Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of Colorado found that homes with dogs have more bacteria than other homes, including germs rarely found in households without dogs.

"We can tell whether you own a dog based on the bacteria we find on your television screen or pillowcase," study co-author Rob Dunn, associate professor of biology at NC State, said in a university news release.

The researchers involved 40 homes. Dunn and his colleagues wiped nine of the common surfaces in these residences -- TV screens, kitchen counters, toilet seats, refrigerators, pillowcases and door handles -- with sterile swabs to determine the types and amount of bacteria present.

The researchers found more than 7,700 types of bacteria in the homes, with unique groupings of bacteria depending on the location tested. For instance, bacteria found in refrigerators, on kitchen counters and on cutting boards were usually similar since they all related to food. The bacteria on doorknobs, pillowcases and toilet seats were also similar, but came more often from humans.

"We leave a microbial 'fingerprint' on everything we touch," Dunn explained. "Sometimes those microbes come from our skin, sometimes they're oral bacteria and as often as not they're human fecal bacteria."

But what about differences between houses? "The biggest difference we've found so far is whether you own a dog," Dunn said. "For example, there are bacteria normally found in soil that are 700 times more common in dog-owning households than in those without dogs."

The study showed bacteria in homes can be grouped into three "habitats" or categories: places people touch, places touched by food and places that collect dust. The researchers pointed out the bacteria found on pillowcases in two different homes is likely more similar than bacteria found in the same home but in another "habitat."

"This makes sense," Dunn added. "Humans have been living in houses for thousands of years, which is sufficient time for organisms to adapt to living in particular parts of houses. We know, for example, that there is a species that only lives in hot-water heaters. We deposit these bacterial hitchhikers in different ways in different places, and they thrive or fail depending on their adaptations."

The study was published May 22 in the journal PLOS ONE. The researchers plan to conduct a larger study involving another 40 homes as well as samples from a national survey of 1,300 homes across the country.

"The larger sample size will help us better understand the range of variables that influence these microbial ecosystems," Dunn said. "Does it matter if you have kids or live in an apartment? We expect the microbial populations of homes in deserts to be different from the populations of homes in Manhattan, but no one knows if that's true. We want to find out."

-- Mary Elizabeth Dallas

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCE: North Carolina State University, news release, May 22, 2013.

Health Tip: Help Prevent Water Contamination

(HealthDay News) -- While the United States has among the world's safest supplies of drinking water, some Americans still ask, "Is my drinking water safe?"

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that's an appropriate question to ask. The agency mentions these tips to help keep your supply of drinking water clean, notably if you have a private well:

• Periodically test your water for contaminants.
• Seek guidance for having the test results clearly explained and properly interpreted.
• Schedule regular maintenance for your well.
• Promptly take care of any problems noted from testing.
• Consult local experts for help and guidance.

-- Diana Kohnle

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Americans Still Making Unhealthy Choices: CDC

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- The overall health of Americans isn't improving much, with about six in 10 people either overweight or obese and large numbers engaging in unhealthy behaviors like smoking, heavy drinking or not exercising, a new government report shows.

Released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the report found Americans continuing to make many of the lifestyle choices that have led to soaring rates of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses, including the following:

• About six of 10 adults drink, including an increase in those who reported episodic heavy drinking of five or more drinks in one day during the previous year.
• Twenty percent of adults smoke, and less than one-half of smokers attempted to quit in the past year.
• Only one in five adults met federal guidelines for both aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening exercise. One in three was completely inactive when it came to any leisure-time aerobic activity.

The one bright spot in the report came in the area of sleep behavior. About seven in 10 adults meet the federal objective for sufficient sleep.

The findings have been gleaned from nearly 77,000 random interviews conducted between 2008 and 2010.

The numbers reflect persistent trends, said report author Charlotte Schoenborn, a health statistician at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

"Changes have not been enormous," Schoenborn said. "It's been a very, very slow process of changing awareness of personal choices for healthier ways of life. All of the health-related federal agencies, and a lot of nonfederal groups, are putting a lot of resources to make people aware of the effect they can have on their own health. This report is just designed to say where we are."

The findings did not surprise Rich Hamburg, deputy director of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit public health organization.

"I think we're in a situation now where we're at a crossroads," Hamburg said. "We have two paths to go. We're hopeful that if we continue to invest in community-based prevention, if we promote healthy eating and active living, these rates will begin to decrease."

Public health organizations use this report to determine which groups of Americans are susceptible to unhealthy behaviors, study author Schoenborn said.

For example, while overall people are getting enough sleep, it turns out that doesn't hold true for people with marital problems, she said. About 38 percent of divorced, separated, or widowed adults have trouble getting enough sleep, compared with 27 percent of married folks.

While this is not the federal government's official report on obesity, its findings jibe with both public and private research into the epidemic, said Hamburg at Trust for America's Health.

At this point, only seven states have overweight and obesity rates that are under 60 percent, he said.

"We've seen for nearly three decades a rise in adult rates of overweight and obesity," Hamburg said. "We're hoping we are reaching a plateau, but we've hoped for that in the past."

Young adults provide the most hope for the future, it appears. For example, those aged 18 to 24 were the only age group to show a decline in smoking, from 23.5 percent to about 21 percent.

"Smoking has remained very stubborn at one in five adults. It's just a terrible addiction," Schoenborn said. "The one small little glimmer of hope I saw was in the 18- to 24-year-olds, where we saw some improvement. You hear so much about overweight and obesity and chronic diseases, and how much of our health lies in our hands, but nothing seems to be changing much."

For his part, Hamburg said that despite the lack of progress, it is vital to continue pressing the case that Americans have the power to improve their health through their personal choices. Without lifestyle changes, chronic disease will flourish and health care spending will skyrocket.

"If we can lower obesity trends by a small amount, say 5 percent in each state, we could save millions of American from health problem and save billions of dollars in health spending," he said.

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCES: Charlotte Schoenborn, M.P.H., U.S. National Center for Health Statistics; Rich Hamburg, deputy director, Trust for America's Health; May 21, 2013, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, Health Behaviors of Adults: United States, 2008-2010

Heat Exhaustion

15 Ways To Keep Cool When it's Hot

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad St?ppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel, Jr, MD, FACP, FACR

Keeping cool when temperatures reach record highs isn't just about comfort. Dangerously high temperatures can result in heat-related illnesses ranging from heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The following tips can help you keep cool all summer long.

Alter your pattern of outdoor exercise to take advantage of cooler times (early morning or late evening). If you can't change the time of your workout, scale it down by doing fewer minutes, walking instead or running, or decreasing your level of exertion.

1. Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color.
2. Cotton clothing will keep you cooler than many synthetics.
3. Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick refreshing spray to your face after being outdoors.
4. Fans can help circulate air and make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned house.

Health Tip: Help Keep Teen Drivers Safe

(HealthDay News) -- Parents of new drivers can breathe a bit easier by setting safety rules for their teens.

The U.S. National Safety Council offers these suggestions:

• Limit your teen's driving time after dark; set a rule of no driving after 10 p.m.
• Don't allow your teen to drive with a passenger under age 18 for the first year.
• Don't allow your teen to use a cell phone when driving.
• Don't allow your child to drink any amount of alcohol and drive.
• Require that your teen wear a safety belt while driving.

-- Diana Kohnle

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Most Americans Say ‘No’ to Smoking in Their Homes, Cars

THURSDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Drop by for a visit or share the drive -- but please, no smoking.

That's the message the vast majority of Americans send to the smokers within their social circle, a new study finds.

Four out of five adults now have smoke-free rules in their homes, while about three out of four have enacted the same ban in their cars, according to the national survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Getting tough on smoking is always a good idea, experts say.

"We have made tremendous progress in the last 15 years protecting people in public spaces from secondhand smoke," Dr. Tim McAfee, director of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, said in an agency news release. "The good news is that people are applying the same protection in their homes and vehicles."

Whether or not you've banned smoking inside the home seems to depend on your smoking status, the CDC study found. While 89 percent of non-smokers say they have a smoke-free policy at home, only 48 percent of smokers have a similar rule. When it comes to cars or other vehicles, 85 percent of non-smokers do not allow smoking, compared to just 27 percent of smokers, the research showed.

Many people may be taking their cue from local legislation, the CDC said. The agency noted that most of the people who've established their own smoke-free rules live in states with longstanding tobacco-control programs and comprehensive smoking bans.

Nevertheless, there's more work to be done, McAfee said. "Millions of non-smokers, many of whom are children, remain exposed to secondhand smoke in these environments," he said.

According to the CDC, nearly 11 million non-smokers remain exposed to secondhand smoke at home and almost 17 million non-smokers are exposed in cars.

The non-smokers most affected by secondhand smoke are men, younger adults, blacks and those with less education. States with the fewest smoking bans or tobacco-control programs had the most adult smokers, the study found.

The danger to nonsmokers' health from stray cigarette smoke is real. Adults exposed to secondhand smoke can develop heart disease and lung cancer, the CDC said. For children, secondhand smoke increases the risk for more severe and frequent asthma attacks, acute respiratory infections, ear infections and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the agency said.

Exposure to secondhand smoke claims the lives of an estimated 50,000 people in the United States each year. Because of that, the U.S. Surgeon General advises 100 percent smoke-free policies that protect non-smokers from secondhand smoke.

"While almost half of all U.S. residents are protected by 100 percent smoke-free policies in worksites, restaurants and bars, overall there are still an estimated 88 million non-smoking Americans over the age of 3 who are exposed to secondhand smoke," study lead author Brian King, an epidemiologist in the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, said in the news release. "It's important to educate people on the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure and how smoke-free homes and vehicles can reduce that exposure."

The study appears in the May issue of the CDC journal Preventing Chronic Disease.

-- Mary Elizabeth Dallas

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, May 16, 2013.

Many Public Pools Contaminated With Human Waste: CDC

THURSDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- There are few things more inviting than a cool, clear pool on a hot summer day. But a new federal report will have you thinking twice before dipping a toe in the water.

Fifty-eight percent of pool filter samples taken from Atlanta area pools last summer contained E. coli, a bacteria found in human feces.

The report is a sign that swimmers often contaminate pool water when they have a "fecal incident" in the water, or when human waste washes off their bodies because they don't shower thoroughly before hitting the water, according to the report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And while the study only focused on pools in the Atlanta region, the researchers said it's likely that fecal contamination from swimmers is a problem in public pools throughout the country. The study did not look at water parks, residential pools or other types of recreational water.

"Swimming is an excellent way to get the physical activity needed to stay healthy," Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC's Healthy Swimming Program, said in an agency news release. "However, pool users should be aware of how to prevent infections while swimming.

"Remember," she added, "chlorine and other disinfectants don't kill germs instantly. That's why it's important for swimmers to protect themselves by not swallowing the water they swim in and to protect others by keeping feces and germs out of the pool by taking a pre-swim shower and not swimming when ill with diarrhea.

The CDC says all swimmers should take the following steps to keep feces out of pools and to prevent infections:

• Don't swim if you have diarrhea.
• Shower with soap before swimming.
• Take a rinse shower before getting back in the water.
• Go to the bathroom every 60 minutes.
• Wash your hands with soap after using the toilet or changing diapers.
• Don't swallow the water you swim in.

Parents of young children should take the following steps:

• Take children on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes or check diapers every 30 to 60 minutes.
• Change diapers in the bathroom or diaper-changing area and not at poolside where germs can rinse into the water.

Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency medicine physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the new study "highlights the importance of practicing good hygiene anytime we swim in a pool, since the potential for contamination with fecal organisms, which could lead to severe diarrheal illnesses, remains an ever present concern.

"From a public health standpoint," he added, "it is especially important for people to avoid swimming when they have diarrhea, as other swimmers could swallow germ-laden water and potentially become ill.

The study reveals a "true public health concern, and reinforces the need to practice safe and effective swim hygiene as the summer approaches," Glattner said.

The study appears in the May 17 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Its release is timed in advance of Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week, May 20-26. The goal of the prevention week is to "raise awareness about healthy swimming, including ways to prevent recreational water illnesses (RWIs). Germs that cause RWIs are spread by swallowing, breathing in the mists or aerosols from, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, water parks, hot tubs, interactive fountains, water play areas, lakes, rivers, or oceans," according to the CDC.

-- HealthDay staff

Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

SOURCES: Robert Glatter, M.D., emergency medicine physician, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, news release, May 16, 2013