Hand Hygiene Facts

Alcohol-based Hand Sanitizer causes $1mil blaze at Ohio industrial facility

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:19:00 +0000

Inspiring one to ask: how stupid are these people?

FINDLAY, OH (THE COURIER) - A blaze that destroyed a Findlay recycling business has been ruled accidental.

The fire struck g2 revolution, 200 Stanford Parkway, on Nov. 18 after a repairman left a furnace on while repairing it, according to the State Fire Marshal's Office.

The furnace was designed to run on alcohol-based hand sanitizer, according to the fire marshal. About two gallons of the liquid ignited in the furnace and dripped into a nearby container holding 275 gallons of hand sanitizer, according to the state agency.

#Triclosan Danger: FDA In the Pocket of Manufacturers :NYT Report

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 15:41:00 +0000

Once again, media reports about the dangers of Triclosan and efforts by both consumer groups and health care advocates to block the use of this chemical in hand hygiene, facial washes and toothpaste products are being impeded by the FDA.

According to this NYT report, the US FDA has for years repeatedly deferred from making any comments as to the potential dangers of triclosan, and ignored repeated scientific findings which have found this chemical leads to resistance against various bacteria, despite findings reached by among others, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which found that triclosan in high concentration is a carcinogen.

Why would the FDA repeatedly ignore multiple and unrelated demands to block this product from use in consumer healthcare products?

Perhaps its the same reason why the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) has a similar and long history of ignoring complaints against major banks; both of these agencies have a long history of deferring to their most significant constituents; the companies that profit the most from selling the products that are supposed to be 'regulated' by these inept federal employees, many of whom bide their time in cubicles until they get rewarded with high-paying private sector jobs from the companies they've been 'regulating' for years.

The responsible alcohol-free hand sanitizer makers use benzalkonium chloride as the anti-bacterial agent in their products, and leading health care venues have already prohibited triclosan-based soaps and sanitizers.

#Alcohol-Hand Sanitizers increase #norovirus risk: study says

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:55:00 +0000

A survey of 161 long-term care facilities in the United States presented at an American College of Preventative Medicine meeting in February revealed an association between the preferential use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers for routine hand hygiene with an increased risk for outbreaks of norovirus, the highly infectious virus that causes most cases of acute gastroenteritis

Of the 45 facilities that reported preferential use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers in a recent survey, 53% experienced a confirmed outbreak of norovirus, compared with 18% of the 17 facilities that used hand sanitizers less often than soap and water.

"...these findings indicate that alcohol-based hand sanitizers might be “suboptimal in controlling the spread of noroviruses,” said Dr. David Blaney of the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Other studies have demonstrated that alcohol-based hand sanitizers are often ineffective against nonenveloped viruses, including norovirus, suggesting their use may not be appropriate in settings that frequently experience outbreaks, such as long-term care facilities..

for the full story: http://www.cmaj.ca/site/earlyreleases/10aug11_hand-sanitizers-may-increase-norovirus-risk.xhtml

The #Buzz from too much #alcoholhandsanitizer

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:55:00 +0000

Research experts at the University of Florida have found yet another reason not to use alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The latest academic study, first made public on May 12, has become the subject of global news coverage.

Lobbyists for the makers of alcohol-based hand sanitizer products have yet to comment on the latest independent study that raises yet more alarms for a outdated healthcare product that has become increasingly under fire, and not only because the product is flammable.

The study was based on daily hand sanitizer application required for use by professional health care workers, which includes workers at public and private hospitals, as well as most licensed senior care facilities.

The lobbyists and spokespeople for the largest manufacturers are expected to dispute the findings, and one industry analyst expect leading makers to argue the report was flawed because those tested represent a unique and small minority of people that are required to have clean hands.

We would say the following to that "small minority" of people who want their hands clean of bacteria and easily-transmitted viruses, and use hand sanitizer products whether they're required to or not:

"There actually are other highly effective hand hygiene products that do not rely on alcohol as an ingredient. Many of these other products are safer to use and don't irritate the skin with excessive use; a notorious "feature" of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

In fact, since 2007, the number of alcohol-free hand sanitizer brands as increased from less than five to more than 25 that compete on a national and in some cases, global basis.

The buzz about too much hand sanitizer: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

#Japan #Tsunami & #Earthquake Relief Requies Alcohol-Free-#HandSanitizer

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 02:31:00 +0000

Disaster zones call for hand hygiene emergency supplies as a first response. Hand sanitizer products supplied should be alcohol-free because typical alcohol-based hand sanitizers such as GOJO Purell, GermX and cannot be transported via cargo plane due to flash point risk, and they must travel by ship from port of manufacture to destination. See suppliers of alcohol-free hand sanitizers for more information.

UK Hand Hygiene Study: $4 Billion Cost

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +0000

An independent survey amongst office workers has shown that the major cause of absence from work is colds and ‘flu and a major contributor to the spread of the infection at work is poor hand hygiene. But to date, the hand drying element is rarely referred to. Indeed the survey showed that whilst 87% of office employees thought hand washing was effective at controlling the spread of infection, only 13% thought hand drying had any contribution to make.

However, the latest study on effective hand hygiene carried out by Bradford University confirms the truth of the widely accepted view that hand washing is a hugely important infection control measure, a view also held by the Health Protection Agency and the NHS Infection Control Team. This latest survey, commissioned by Connect Hygiene Products, showed that 93% of employees thought that too. However, the Bradford study goes on to state that hand drying is vitally important in preventing post wash translocation of bacteria from the hand’s surface to the next hard surface it touches.

Teacher Sentenced :Forced Students to Lick Alcohol Hand Sanitizer from His Hands

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:22:00 +0000

we just can't make this stuff up...just another of thousands of cases, and why this blog has been promoting the use of alcohol-free hand sanitizer

Michigan Teen Spikes Teacher's Soda With Alcohol Hand Sanitizer

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:15:00 +0000

MICHIGAN CITY — Elston Middle School staff called police to the school Thursday to deal with a student who allegedly put alcohol-based hand sanitizer in a teacher’s pop can Thursday.

Police arrested the 13-year-old boy at 3:10 p.m. and charged him with criminal recklessness.
According to the police report, the teacher complained of feeling ill after drinking the beverage, which allegedly tasted funny and smelled like alcohol. A school nurse released the teacher after calling poison control.

While the teacher was in the nurse’s office, the class was asked what happened. According to the police report, 13 of the 18 students in the class said they saw the accused boy use the hand sanitizer, and a few saw him put it into the teacher’s drink.

The root beer and alcohol hand sanitizer were taken as evidence.

Inmates Drunk on Alcohol Hand Sanitizer Try Escape: Prison Warden Missed The Memo?

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:12:00 +0000

And we thought that every prison had received "the memo" that prohibits alcohol-based hand sanitizer within state and federal prisons...

Three men who tried to break out of the Saskatoon Correctional Centre in September are on their way to federal prison.
Kendal Campeau, 20, Brett Wapass, 21, and Randy Brabant, 23, pleaded guilty in provincial court to charges of attempted escape, kidnapping and forcibly seizing three jail guards while armed with shanks made from an oven rack.
All three inmates were drunk on prison-made alcohol and hand sanitizer when they forced their way into a staff office at the facility on the night of Sept. 11, holding weapons to the guards' throats and demanding their keys, court heard.

#Flu Season Claims First Fatalities: CDC Reminds About Hand Hygiene

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 17:06:00 +0000

According to the US Centers For Disease Control, the Flu Season is officially open, with precincts in Atlanta reporting the first fatalities.

While its important to practice proper hand hygiene throughout the year, this is as a good a time as any to focus on best practices.

Whether you're traveling, attending increasing number of family and or business get-togethers, welcoming home relatives from college, or simply shaking a lot more hands than usual, when washing with soap and water is not readily convenient, be smart when selecting your hand sanitizer. Keep the holiday spirits in a glass, and use non-alcohol-hand sanitizer for the purpose of taking additional hand hygiene steps.

Alabama jail inmates caught drinking alcohol-based hand sanitizer

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 18:34:00 +0000

makes one wonder what the jailers were thinking by even allowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers; most correctional facilities prohibit it! (explaining why many venues have introduced alcohol-free hand sanitizer products)

By Lisa Rogers
Times Staff Writer
Six Etowah County jail inmates have been punished after they tried to use an alcohol-based gel hand sanitizer to get drunk.

The sanitizer was broken down and turned into a liquid by using regular table salt, Etowah County Sheriff’s Office Chief of Corrections Scott Hassell said.

Hassell said jailers were made aware of the method that could be used to break down the sanitizer about a year ago, but this is the first time inmates have been caught doing it.

When salt is added to the gel, it breaks down and becomes denatured ethanol, Dale Hyatt, the environmental health and safety officer at the jail, said. He said ethanol evaporates quickly, which is why it is used in the hand sanitizer. The liquid smells much like rubbing alcohol.

Hand sanitizer is not readily available to the inmates, but it is in each section of the jail after last year’s H1N1 flu scare.

Hyatt said sanitizing the jail is done often, with door knobs sanitized with germ killer every two hours. He said the hand sanitizer is in small containers and usually accessible only to the jailers.

The inmates involved in the incident had gotten a small bottle of hand sanitizer and put a small amount of salt in it, he said.

But the alcohol in the hand sanitizer is not the same as in alcoholic drinks.

The ethanol from the sanitizer metabolizes in the liver and the drink gives a sugar rush. The liquid in larger amounts can be toxic, however.

This method only takes a couple of minutes, Dodd said, but it doesn’t produce a drinkable alcohol.

It’s a different process than the old recipe known as “jailhouse julep,” he said.

Inmates will use fresh fruit and mix it with bread in an airtight jar to make alcohol, but the process takes several weeks, Dodd said.

“The mixture of the yeast and sugar turns into alcohol,” he said.

Random cell searches are done every day to prevent the making of julep and other disruptions to the inmates, Hassell said.

Hassell said parents need to be aware that sanitizer is being used in this way.

“If the inmates have learned how to do this, others know, too,” Hassell said. “But the bad thing is that it makes you sick, and it can be toxic.”

Hand Hygiene Up; Hospital-Acquired-Ilness Down

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:23:00 +0000

Improved hand hygiene amongst hospital staff is a major factor in the dramatic decline in healthcare associated infections, according to a recent study.

HPA figures show healthcare associated infections, such as MRSA and Colstridium Difficile have fallen dramatically since the NPSA launched the Clean Your Hands Campaign in 2004 – with the aim of improving hand hygiene amongst healthcare staff.

Between April 2004 and March 2010 MRSA rates in hospitals across England fell from 7,233 to 1,898. Similarly, cases Clostridium Difficile (C.diff) in hospitals in England have fallen from 55, 498 in to 25,604 in recent years.

Purell Exec Says Use of Product Won't Protect Against Flu or Viruses; Yale University Report

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 19:51:00 +0000

In a smartly-written article by Yale Graduate Student Michaela Panter that demystifies the nonsense that Purell marketers have been perpetuating (by simply saying nothing and otherwise allowing to perpetuate), Ms. Panter points out the little-advertised non-features of pouring alcohol-gel on to your hands in the hope it protects against germs and bacteria..

"...In contrast, stomach viruses and the cold virus, which are non-enveloped, are alcohol-resistant. Dr. James Arbogast of GOJO Industries, the company that invented Purell, suggests that a sanitizer made of 70 percent alcohol might inactivate stomach viruses more effectively, but such high-concentration sanitizers aren’t in common use (Purell is a 62% potion; but if you mix in two tbls of salt into a handful of alcohol-gel sanitizer, you've got yourself a great home-brewed cocktail).

Click on the title link for the full report from the Yale Daily News.
Sidebar note to the lovely lawyers at GOJO: Do a little research re: 1st Amendment before contemplating sending any threatening letters. We just report what's being reported by others.

GOJO --maker of Purell alcohol hand sanitizer- faces $1 million lawsuit

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:27:00 +0000

courtesy of Akron Beacon Journal's Ohio.com
nice people! (not)..

A Cleveland area container company is suing GOJO Industries Inc. of Akron, the maker of the hand-sanitizer Purell, saying GOJO owes it more than $1 million.

Kaufman Container Co. of Brook Park contends that GOJO owes it the money after canceling outstanding orders for packaging for a GOJO ''hand-sanitizing product.'' The lawsuit, filed in Summit County Common Pleas Court, does not name the product.

The complaint says that in April 2009, GOJO began buying large quantities of packaging, including plastic bottles and pump dispensers, for its ''hand-sanitizing product... in anticipation of the upcoming flu season and projected H1N1 pandemic.''

Kaufman calls itself a ''packaging sourcing center'' and says in the suit that it worked with manufacturers to have the packaging made to GOJO's specifications.

Kaufman contends it tried to cancel orders made with manufacturers on behalf of GOJO, but was able to cancel only 85 percent. Kaufman says it could not cancel the remaining 15 percent because the items ''had already been manufactured or because the orders constituted work in progress.''

The value of those items was more than $1 million, Kaufman says.

The breach-of-contract suit has been assigned to Summit County Common Pleas Judge Patricia A.

#Staples Inc. Study: Hand Hygiene Starts With Sanitary Workplace

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:21:00 +0000

Staples Survey Finds Germs Are Increasingly Joining the Work Force
Oct 16, 2010 (Close-Up Media via COMTEX) -- A new study shows that many office workers feel compelled to be in the office when they're sick while few take enough steps to keep their workspace clean.

A recent survey by Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., reveals that 65 percent of workers reported coming to work sick, while 80 percent reported cleaning their workspace only once a week or less. At that rate, keeping germs at bay in the office is a staggering task.

Studies estimate about 40,000 people will get the flu this year and a study by Challanger, Gray & Christmas estimates the flu alone results in approximately 70 million missed work days and nearly $10 billion in lost productivity each year.

"Employers are concerned about decreased productivity due to sick employees and are looking for ways to maintain healthy workspaces throughout their facilities," said Lisa Hamblet, vice president for Staples Advantage and head of its Facility Solutions line of business. "With employees coming to work sick, it's difficult to prevent germs from invading the office altogether. There are easy preventive measures that can minimize the spread of germs within the facility and keep the business going." With another flu season upon us, cleaning experts at Staples Facility Solutions have prepared a tip sheet with easy steps employers can take to maintain a healthy workforce.

Make hand and surface sanitizing products easily accessible throughout the office. Sanitizers reduce germs and bacteria by 99.9 percent. Another study by reported a 21 percent reduction of absenteeism with hand sanitizer on the desktop. But only 38 percent of workers surveyed have started using disinfectant wipes since the H1N1 outbreak.

Supply tissues and educate the office about "respiratory etiquette." A surprising 68 percent of workers surveyed reported seeing coworkers sneezing or coughing without using a tissue or covering their mouth.

Set Aside Time at Work for Personal Clean Up. By setting aside a time for all employees to clean and sanitize their workspace and providing sanitizing wipes, paper towels and spray, employers can create a more "germ" conscious workforce and a healthier office. This is particularly necessary with the number of people who eat at their workspace, a surprising 92 percent of workers according to the Staples Advantage survey.

Encourage proper handwashing. A building-wide hand washing campaign can be an effective way to remind workers to wash hands for at least 20 seconds as recommended by the Center for Disease Control. Provide touch-free soap and towel dispensers to further minimize the spread of germs.

Survey participants reinforce that they want employers to get involved in preventing illness around the work place. More than half the respondents (54 percent) said employers should provide "touch-free" restroom products and 40 percent indicated flu shots should be administered at the office.

Staples Advantage conducted an online survey of office workers at more than 100 businesses of all sizes across the US. The survey, conducted in August, asked a series of questions about workplace hygiene and its overall impact in today's business environment.

#Apple iPhones & iPads: Petri Dishes for Bacteria

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:18:00 +0000

New research suggests a cell phone has 18 times the amount of bacteria found on a toilet handle.

"If you put a virus on a surface, like an iPhone, about 30 percent of it will get on your fingertips," says Timothy Julian, a Stanford University doctoral student who co-authored the study on the spread of viruses. And it won't be long before you touch your eyes, nose or mouth -- the mucous membranes through which many viruses get into the body.

Peter Collignon, a specialist in infectious diseases at the Australian National University, followed research that found a higher risk of transmitting pathogens from glass surfaces like on iPads to human skin.

"You wouldn't have hundreds of people using the same glass or cup, but theoretically if hundreds of people share the same keyboard or touch pad, then effectively that's what you're doing," the Age quoted Collignon as saying in a phone interview.

"The germs we transmit via our hands can frequently have germs that can cause anything from the flu to multi-drug resistant diseases."

Scores of people visit Apple stores around the country every day to play with the company's latest gadgets. Earlier this year, an investigation by the New York Daily News found that of four iPads swabbed in two Apple stores, two contained harmful pathogens.

Kimberly-Clark Expert: US Businesses Lose $74 Billion/yr To Absenteeism

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:58:00 +0000

"Every year, businesses in the United States lose $74 billion due to absenteeism. And the germs that cause absenteeism are coming in the door every day with their employees and then being spread throughout the workplace," said Andy Clement, director of the hand hygiene and tissue business for Kimberly-Clark Professional. "It's crucial to break the chain of transmission wherever these employees go."

According to one study, use of appropriate hand sanitizer can reduce a person's sick days by 21 percent.

"Change hand and surface hygiene behaviors and make these behaviors part of an office worker's daily routine and you can break the links in the germ transmission chain," Clement said. "If you do, you'll have a healthy workplace and healthier employees."

Amarillo TX School System: Kids Inhaling Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:10:00 +0000

Courtesy of Amarillo Globe News
(click on title link for original source)

Submitted by Jon Mark Beilue on Tue, 09/28/2010 - 7:30am
I guess if someone needed a high bad enough, they could get one off toothpaste. Who knows? What makes anyone even think about something like this?

But here's a memo that was sent from the Amarillo ISD last week to its schools:

"Please share this with appropriate staff at your school.

"One of our schools reported that students are inhaling hand sanitizer to get high. After researching and calling the Texas Panhandle Poison Control Center, here is what we understand about this trend.

"The brand they are huffing is Germ-X. Germ-X is 62% alcohol. The alcohol makes the lining of the nose tingle and may make them dizzy. There is no known connection between inhaling hand sanitizer and truly getting high. The dangers are in other areas of concern:

"1. Germ-X contains phenol. While phenol does not create a high, it can lead to respiratory arrest and possible death. Huffing (inhaling) phenol is a bad idea.

"2. Several blogs cited inhaling Germ-X as the user's gateway to drinking alcohol. There have been cases where teens and others drink hand sanitizer for the alcohol. This is likened to the alcoholic that resorts to rubbing alcohol when that is the only thing that is available.

"3. The tendency to inhale Germ-X is most likely an indicator that the youth may be experimenting with other inhalants. According to our data, inhalant experimentatin is most likely to occur between 4th and 8th grade. Some youth will try it and never try anything else. Others will become addicted like gasoline, paint, etc. and contine using for many years.

"If you have Germ-X in your classrooms, keep an eye out for misuse. Also, if you have a child who inhales Germ-X or any other inhalant, get them fresh air and consider contacting the parents so they can safeguard their child once he or she leaves the school."

Pennsylvania High School Fire: Teens Ignite Alcohol Hand Sanitizer Dispenser

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 11:25:00 +0000

2 Teens charged in press box, Royalton arson fires

by Debra Schell and Jim Lewis Press And Journal Staff : 9/22/2010

Two Middletown boys, ages 12 and 13, set a fire that destroyed the concession stand and press box at Middletown Area High School’s baseball field, using a lighter to ignite hand sanitizer as it dripped from a dispenser on the wall, Lower Swatara Twp. police said.

click on title link for full story

Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizers Not Just For Hands!

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:08:00 +0000

Here's an interesting testimonial forwarded to us...and referencing one of the more popular alcohol-free hand sanitizer products--suggesting that its not only useful when applying to the hands!

From: mmaser [mailto:maser@xxx.com]
Sent: Monday, September 20, 2010 7:29 PM

You may recall I contacted you two weeks ago to inquire about using 'Soapopular' alcohol-free hand sanitizer to address a jock-itch (fungal) infection that was plaguing me, and I said I'd let you know how it turned out. If you're sitting down, I'll break the news to you:

Using just under 1/2 bottle of 'Soapopular' (100 ml [3 oz] size; $3.00 retail cost), the product was instrumental in resolving my infection; That's right, I applied it 2-3 times per day for 3-5 days, then once per day for another 4-5 days, and voilà, the infection has completely cleared.

That means your product did something that none of the other 20 or so products that I tried in the past 3.5 months did. These products included "All-Stop Healing Gel" [available through www.qbased.com) which, as we discussed, is comprised of almost the same ingredients as 'Soapopular' (and costs a lot more). Now, as I was mentioning to you, I was trying All-Stop when I contacted you but I wasn't happy with it. Despite it's 'guarantee' (the only product I tried that offered a guarantee btw), it left a residue that hardened and then became very flaky and prickly. This added to my discomfort and I would not recommended AS HG because of this. Your product did NOT leave such a residue, it went on easily, dried quickly and, overall, I would definitely recommend it to others suffering from this god-awful affliction.

[What led me to Soapopular you ask? Intrigued by the “All-Stop” guarantee (what was backed by many testimonials) but unsatisfied with the results of using the product, I checked the ingredients, saw the main ingredient - Benzalkonium Chloride - is pretty common in hand disinfectants, headed to the drug store to check these out, then saw that the ingredient listing of Soapopular is very similar -- most similar, in fact, to any of about 5 others that were available and that I checked. I thought $3 was worthwhile investment, considering I'd already spent hundreds of dollars, headed home, did a big test patch on my arm, then called you the next day. ]

I think that's pretty remarkable and I hope you will bring this story to others, including researchers for a few reasons:

i. The product was effective in a short period of time!

ii. Conventional, over-the-counter remedies for this, including the often-available Tinactin, Cruex, Micatin, Lamisil, Clotrimazole, Sporanox were ineffective for me. I tried all of these - creams and oral prescriptions, and none of them resolved the infection. I think there are a couple of reasons for this: the creams continue to moisturize and that just is not the way to go in trying to resolve this; then there is the issue of organism resistance to these pharmaceutical products. In the many scientific research papers I scanned about this condition (I have a science background) I kept reading about how resistance by to the Tinea organisms to these conventional pharmaceutical products (all mentioned above) is increasing, worldwide, and that researchers are now seeking broad-spectrum anti-microbials to improve the efficacy in overcoming such infections.

iii. Males, in particular, need some better (more effective) products to choose from than the few ineffective products that I found stocked on almost all the drug store shelves I checked.

Obviously, you will need a greater population of test-rabbits than just me! The only thing I would add is that I experienced no injurious or discomforting side effects in 10 days of using Soapopular, something I sure can't say about almost every product I tried.

I have provided my initial comments to you about Soapopular unsolicited and without any understanding or expectation of reward.

Given my experiences in attempting to address and overcome this infection (I wouldn't wish what I just went through on my worst enemy),

I think you may have something that will help ease the discomfort of this for other people and I'm pleased to contribute to those efforts in some way.

FYI - here is some more biographical info on me: I am a 52-year old male, married, professional, fit, with good overall health (so I thought!). I believe I acquired this infection - a pretty resistant organism IMO - through one yoga class I attended at a local recreation center late last spring.

Sincerely, Michael M.

Gibsons BC Canada

Alcohol-Hand-Sanitizer 'Abusers' Looking For Quick High

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:43:00 +0000

Courtesy of CBC News (click on link for source story)

People with substance abuse problems are turning to hand sanitizer in order to feed their addiction.
"Everybody always prefers to be buying real alcohol over this but if we got nothing else then we'll drink it," a Regina woman named Lorretta explained.
CBC News agreed not to use the last names of people who agreed to talk about consuming hand sanitizer.
"It bothers me," Loretta said about choosing that type of alcohol. "But I gotta get my fix somehow."
A spokeswoman for Regina police told CBC News that officers were encountering intoxicated people in Regina's downtown area "about one or two times a week."
Elizabeth Popowich said that in some cases the people were found with hand sanitizing liquids on them. In other cases they explained to officers that they had just consumed the liquid.
"It is becoming an epidemic," Loretta suggested. "You see the bottles all over the street everywhere you go."

Mixed with water

Loretta's boyfriend, Dallas, told CBC News that it is relatively easy to find the alcohol in public buildings or stores.
He said he mixes the liquid with water, and will consume an entire bottle to achieve a high.
"The whole bottle," he said. "I drink lots."
Dallas added the addiction takes it toll on everyone connected to the substance abuser.
"I don't like it," he said. "It just doesn't drag me down. It drags everybody else down with it."
Shawn Fraser, executive director of the downtown Carmichael Outreach Centre, says he has had to take hand cleaner away from people coming to the centre.
"People who are faced with the disease of alcoholism will find a way to drink," Fraser noted. "Hand sanitizer... seems to be what's going on now. But if not, people still find a way."
Popowich noted alcohol-based hand sanitizer is not a controlled substance and it would be difficult to prevent people from obtaining the product, as it is readily available.

University of Virginia: Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Don't Work..

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:26:00 +0000

Courtesy of news outlet "Daily Progress"...

A team of researchers at the University of Virginia found that alcohol-based hand sanitizers fail to significantly reduce the frequency of infection from rhinovirus or influenza.

"An alcohol hand disinfectant with enhanced antiviral activity failed to significantly reduce the frequency of infection with either rhinovirus or influenza," wrote the authors of the study presented Sunday at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) here.

The results came as a surprise to research team leader Dr. Ronald Turner, whose study was sponsored by the Dial Corp. which makes various care and cleaning products, including alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

[Maybe this is because alcohol is notorious for stripping away protective skin cells, and in turn, increasing the risk of exposure to pathogens? duh...]

click on title link for the full news story courtesy of "The Daily Progress"

Canadian Town Getting Drunk From Alcohol Hand Sanitizers

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 14:19:00 +0000

Courtesy of CBC News..click on title link for the full story..
By QMI Agency
Last Updated: September 11, 2010 2:10pm

Police in Regina say they are finding people intoxicated from drinking hand sanitizing liquids which contain alcohol.

CBC News said the problem has cropped up in Regina's downtown and may be connected to accessible sources of sanitizer, such as in shopping centres and the public areas of local hospitals.

A spokeswoman for police told CBC News that officers believe people have stolen large containers of alcohol-based sanitizers to drink the contents.

4th Grader Suspended For Sniffing Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:38:00 +0000

just another story illustrating why many schools are migrating to non-alcohol based hand sanitizers..and burning up the alcohol-based produts

from CBS News, Woodland California

4th Grader Suspended For Sniffing Hand Sanitizer
More Local News
Reporting
Kris Pickel
WOODLAND, Calif. (CBS13) ―

A local 4th grader was suspended from school, after officials say he was caught sniffing hand [alcohol-based] sanitizer.

The mother says she tried to talk to the principal, who said the suspension was going to stand and would also be a mark on his record.

Matteo Meier, a 4th grader at Dingle Elementary, is feeling pummeled by a school punishment.

"I got in trouble and I got suspended," he says.

Matteo says friends at school told him to sniff hand sanitizer. He's done it occasionally since last year, but yesterday he got caught by a teacher who gave him a suspension and a scare.

The nine-year-old says he didn't know it was wrong, and didn't get a warning.

"If it was that bad, they could have made me lose recess instead of suspending me," he said.

There is a problem with the hand sanitizer violating the school zero tolerance drug use; CBS13 talked to poison control and a drug rehab center, and they've never heard of anyone getting high off smelling hand sanitizer.

After calls from CBS13, district officials looked into the case.

"I believe apologies will be made," says district official, Mike Steven, after being asked if Matteo would receive an apology.

Sarah Brett, Matteo's mother, believes there was a rush to judge her son, because of past behavior problems, which he's been working on.

Sarah says the hand sanitizer shows that kids are already experimenting, and the school should use this as a teachable moment.

Not Smart: Smart Cell Phones Spreading Germs; Hand Hygiene Horror?

noreply@blogger.com (HandyMan) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:18:00 +0000

Below article is courtesy of UK The Co-Operative Pharmacy, a publication of the Co-Operative Group; a global business enterprise employing 80,000 and annual revenue of $14 billion..

New technology, from smart and mobile phones to laptops, could be spreading illnesses and potentially killer diseases because of poor hand hygiene, according to research released today (16 August 2010) by The Co-operative Pharmacy.

Each year, more than 750 people die and almost one million people¹ are ill with bugs which can be passed on or contracted by not washing hands.

As part of its ethical strategy, The Co-operative Pharmacy commissioned the study by ICM² into hand hygiene, which revealed that one in three people use a mobile phone or BlackBerry when on the toilet while one in twenty people also surf on a laptop.

Almost one in three people admitted to not using soap or handwash and one in five people don’t always wash their hands after being on the loo.

Mobile and smart phones³ have been shown to be dirty and have high levels of bacteria, which indicate poor personal hygiene, and act as a breeding ground for other bugs.

The research by The Co-operative Pharmacy also found that one in ten people said they never or only sometimes washed their hands while people admitted to reading a newspaper or magazine (48 per cent), cleaning their teeth, drinking and eating when on the toilet.

John Nuttall, Managing Director of The Co-operative Pharmacy, said: “As a leading community pharmacy we believe it is vital to make people aware of the importance of good hand hygiene when visiting the toilet.

“In the UK, the new trend of using smart and mobile phones in addition to laptops on the toilet is inadvertently raising the risk of the spread of infections, which affect hundreds of thousands of people. The symptoms are very unpleasant for most people and, in some circumstances, can be fatal.”

Dr. Paul Cleary, Epidemiologist, Health Protection Agency, said: “Hand-washing is important at all times, but particularly after going to the toilet, before and after preparing food and before eating.

“Thorough handwashing with soap and water is the best protection against C diff and viral infections, such as the common cold, flu and norovirus. It also reduces the chances of cross-contamination when preparing food and therefore affords some protection against food-borne infections, such as salmonella and campylobacter.”