“We have one and one-third million survey responses in our database waiting to be mined,” says Professor John Oxford, chairman of the Hygiene Council and lead investigator of the Lysol-funded study.

Current analysis shows that, among 12,000 responders from 12 countries, adults who felt embarrassed after sneezing or coughing on others were most likely to be free of colds. Why? Researchers found that those who respect the health of others are more apt to wash their hands frequently and generally protect themselves.

“Furthermore, we found that if considerate people do get infected, they are less likely to pass along germs than others who are generally less thoughtful,” explains Dr. Oxford. “There are three layers of protection to ward off spreading illnesses at home. First: vaccines. Second: antiviral or antibiotic drugs. Third, and perhaps most important, is breaking the chain of infection with good hand washing and use of disinfectants.”

In the study, stay-at-home moms took top honors for manners and hygiene. Students and office workers ranked lowest. But there’s room for improvement in all sectors, says Oxford.

“We’d like to see 80 percent of a population using good hygiene habits, and no country is at that mark,” adds the expert. “This is a big threat to public health. The good news is that people can change their habits. We learned to use seat belts, and we can adopt—and teach—better hygiene habits, too.”

Click here for tips on where, when, and how to disinfect.

Hello Manners, Goodbye Colds The Saturday Evening Post

Beth J.

North Carolina

MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus) is an ordinary germ that became dangerous when it was no longer vulnerable to penicillin and the other “-cillin” antibiotics. MRSA infections have been occurring in hospitals for years, but a new type responsible for serious skin and lung infections is now sweeping through U.S. communities, according to Dr. Robert Daum, principal investigator of the MRSA Research Center and Professor of Pediatrics, Microbiology, and Molecular Medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center, who explains:

“Scientists have found ways to reduce the number of MRSA infections associated with health care. But new MRSA strains are now affecting children (especially those in day-care centers), military men and women, athletes, Pacific Islanders, and other individuals who have had little or no contact with the health care system. And the high rate of recurrence and spread among household members is of particular concern. As MRSA disease becomes more widespread, new therapies are sorely needed.”

Not all skin sores are caused by MRSA, but those that turn red, warm, or form pus should be tested before starting an antibiotic. MRSA infections start as small red pimples or boils that soon develop into deep sores and may infect the bones, heart, or lungs.

To defend against MRSA infections:

• Scrub hands for at least 15 seconds. Or use hand sanitizer containing 60-plus percent alcohol.

• Don’t share linens, razors, or clothing, and use a barrier 
between skin and shared athletic equipment.

• Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered.

• Shower after athletic activities and don’t participate 
if you may have an infected sore.

• Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed, for the full course of the medicine. Inappropriate use may prompt bacteria to become drug-resistant.

For now, Dr. Daum says drug therapies for MRSA 
include clindamycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 
and vancomycin. Newer (but not necessarily better) therapies include daptomycin, linezolid, tigecycline, and the newly licensed telavancin.

MRSA Update The Saturday Evening Post