As some schools gear up for in-person learning, many parents are concerned about the spread of harmful germs. This blog helps explain how germs spread and reviews some techniques to help reduce transmission, including hand washing and social distancing and sanitizing the nose. Germ transmission can occur through several modes, such as [1]: Direct or […]

For Healthcare Professionals Many different types of pathogens can cause infection, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Sometimes, getting one infection can lead to a weakening of the immune system or to damage to the respiratory tract, which can result in an increased risk of acquiring an additional infection, known as a secondary infection.   What […]

Athletes work hard, play hard, and their training facilities and locker rooms often show it. One might expect to see sweaty equipment, damp towels, and scattered personal hygiene products throughout. These are ideal environments for bacterial growth which can put athletes at increased risk of infection by potentially dangerous pathogens, like Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococcus aureus, […]

Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to clothing, tools and gear that is intended to protect an individual from potential hazards that they may be exposed to at work or while engaging in other activities. Common job hazards that may necessitate the use of PPE include exposure to dangerous chemicals, bodily fluids or infectious germs. Some […]

Employee wellness programs have become increasingly popular across companies of all sizes over the past few decades. [1]. Employee wellness programs were first initiated as an employee benefit and were advertised as a perk of working for some of these larger corporations. […]

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is categorized as a commensal bacterium because it is able to gain benefits from living with a host but does not typically cause any harm or provide any benefits for the host. The bacteria colonize inside of the nose (the nasal vestibule) and interact with nasal epithelial cells that line the […]

Nearly 1.4 million American seniors permanently reside in nursing homes and an additional 4 million seniors receive short-term care in nursing home facilities1,2.  Unfortunately, the combination of a high population density in nursing homes, the likelihood of immunosenescence in the elderly, and a regular influx of patients and staff from hospital settings leaves seniors at […]

Ever since Ignaz Semmelweis’s discovery, in 1847, that handwashing with a chlorine solution significantly reduced maternal mortality, the medical profession has been making incremental strides in the theory of infection prevention1. In the 20th century, the focus was on pathogen vectors; sanitizing and sterilizing contaminated surfaces, blocking airborne transmission, and handwashing were instrumental in reducing […]

What is Isolation? In the hospital setting, isolation refers to additional precautions taken to prevent transmission of infectious agents, such as bacteria or viruses, between people. When a patient is placed in hospital isolation, precautions are followed by healthcare staff and visitors to help protect the patient, individuals that have contact with them, and other […]