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 […]

One of the first known “superbugs,” MRSA has been making headlines since the 1960s. Today, as the list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria grows, MRSA is still a major concern for healthcare providers and communities alike.  MRSA’s infamous reputation shouldn’t give the impression that MSSA is a kinder, gentler strain of staph infection. The Centers for Disease […]

One of the first “superbugs,” MRSA has been a major concern for hospitals for nearly 60 years. MRSA is a common bacterium that can cause deadly infections, but its antibiotic-resistant nature makes those infections difficult to treat — especially in healthcare environments with vulnerable patient populations. Thanks to better screening and prevention, hospital-acquired MRSA infections […]