The Centers for Disease Control cites handwashing as one of the best ways to prevent the spread of illness. In addition, company policies or even state laws require food handlers and those working in some other professions to wash their hands...
Throughout the course of a day people come in contact with millions of species of bacteria and viruses. These little pests are found on virtually every surface imaginable. Door handles, elevator buttons, cell phones and light switches are just a...
Germs cover nearly every surface from door knobs and stair railings to toys your children share. The germs picked up on your hands enter the body through the eyes, nose and mouth, according to MayoClinic.com. Washing your hands on a regular basis...
Washing your hands properly is one of the simplest and yet most effective things you can do to prevent the spread of disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Proper handwashing can prevent the spread of...
Washing your hands is a quick and easy way to prevent illness. To wash your hands properly, you only need access to soap and water. If you do not have soap and water available, hand sanitizers may be used as an alternative. The Centers for Disease...
Hand washing is a deceptively simple task that can prevent the spread of infection. The Nemours Foundation reports that good hand washing techniques are the first line of defense against the spread of many illnesses, including the common cold, the...
One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself and others from infections and illness is to wash your hands. According to the Harvard University Extension, proper handwashing reduces bacteria by 90 percent. The Centers for Disease...
To help yourself stay healthy, start by washing your hands. This simple act of hygiene helps prevent germs from spreading from you to others and from others to you. Viruses and bacteria, which can make you sick, spread easily. A virus on a...
Infection by a gastrointestinal virus is also referred to as viral gastroenteritis. Some people also call it the stomach flu, even though it is not technically an influenza. It is a type of intestinal infection that is generated and fueled by...
Swine flu (H1N1) can be especially dangerous for infants. Keeping your child away from large crowds, practicing proper handwashing, and breastfeeding may help to reduce your child's risk. Several symptoms have been associated with swine flu. If...
Proper handwashing technique is easy to learn and important for preventing the spread of diseases and infections, reports the Centers for Disease Control. You should wash your hands before and after handling food, before you eat, and after using...
Soap and water remain the single best way to control germs, advises Stanford University, but when soap and water aren't readily available, hand sanitizers can be an effective alternative. Unfortunately, many commercial hand sanitizers contain...
When you were a child, you were likely told to wash your hands before meals. However, you may not have learned why handwashing is so important to your overall health. Also, you may not have learned that there are many other situations that call...
Soap cleans hands by encapsulating dirt, oil or grease in a miniature bubble called a micelle. Soap molecules are both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water repelling), which allows the micelles to form. World of Molecules...
Teaching toddlers when and how to wash their hands is important for their health and the health of those near them. Experts at the Mayo Clinic say that frequent hand washing prevents getting sick as well as cutting down on chances of spreading...
Eye infections are also known as conjunctivitis, which means "inflammation of the conjunctiva." The conjunctiva is the thin layer of tissue covering the white of eye (sclera) and the inside of the eyelids. Infectious conjunctivitis can be caused...
Swine flu is a type of influenza referred to as H1N1. It can occur throughout the year but is most common during the seasonal flu months in late fall through early spring. The swine flu has been known to cause some of the similar symptoms of...
The GI virus is also referred to as the gastrointestinal virus. It can be easily confused with the stomach flu although it is not an influenza. The GI virus is an intestinal virus that is derived from a variety of other viruses such as the...
Chemotherapy is a type of drug used to treat various forms of cancer. It's often referred to as cytotoxic or antieoplastic therapy. Chemo is different from other forms of cancer treatment such as radiation therapy or surgical removal. Unlike...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, proper handwashing is the single best way to prevent communicable illnesses and infections. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services notes that hepatitis A, shigellosis, influenza,...
Handwashing is a simple and effective way to prevent the spread of disease. Harmful bacteria can easily contaminate your hands when you touch a surface on which bacteria resides and can just as easily be passed to the next person when you open a...
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, pinworm infections are the result of a type of roundworm known as Enterobius vermicularis. These pathogens reside in the lower intestinal tract. However, the females exit the...
Communicable diseases include a group of illnesses that humans can contract. If infected, they can suffer serious illness and life-threatening conditions. The key is learning to identify the most deadly, and realizing the steps to avoid coming in...
Viral meningitis is a type of infection that affects the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain in humans, states The Meningitis Foundation of America. It is usually not as severe as bacterial meningitis but can still cause symptoms and...
MRSA, or methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, is a type of bacteria that can cause an array of infections and medical complications. This bacteria can be easily diagnosed through a swab test. MRSA starts off as a staph infection, but...
Ringworm is a contagious skin infection common among babies and children. The belief that ringworm is caused by worms is a widespread misconception. Ringworm is the common name for tinea corporis, a fungal infection, which forms ringlike patterns...
Germs cause illnesses and diseases, and they are found on objects, surfaces and people. As you touch people or things others have touched, your hands collect germs. You may spread those germs to people by touching them or infect yourself with a...
Thousands of diseases, conditions and ailments can affect your child. To protect your child as much as possible, teach him proper hygiene, nutrition and health habits from the beginning. Developing a healthy lifestyle involves the entire family as...
Using a proper hand washing technique helps you remove germs that can cause illnesses and food-borne diseases, notes Doug Powell, an associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology at Kansas State University. In addition to washing...
