Shower Curtains
Moisture and humidity facilitates the growth of mold. This is why mold often grows on shower curtains. After a shower , the shower curtain remains wet. We then push it back to one side and often leave it there, trapping moisture in the folds. Then ,we turn the light off. Maybe we shut the door, further trapping humidity in the room. This environment allows the mold to reproduce by releasing spores into the air. Spores settle onto surfaces and begin to grow. Each spore that germinates gives rise to new mold growth. This in turn produces millions of spores, all before you even see or smell the evidence of mold. Mold does not have to be alive for people to react to it. True, children, elderly, pregnant women, and those with existing respiratory illness are at the highest risk. However, exposure to mold can cause allergenic effects like: cold-like symptoms, respiratory problems, nasal and sinus congestion, eye irritation, sore throat, coughing, hives and other skin irritations, headaches, and asthma attacks in anyone. Mold spores are microscopic and are easily breathed into the lungs. Dermal exposure to mold is what causes athletes foot and jock itch. Two infections, Penicillium marneffei and Aspergillus fumigatus , are common causes of illness and death among those with a compromised immune system. According to the EPA, the air inside your home is between 2 and 100 times more polluted with bacteria, virus, fungi, pollen, dust, dander, and mold than outdoor air.
Think about this…..a shower curtain is growing mold, the damp bath towel you crumbled up on the sink is growing mold, the damp hand towel crumbled up is growing mold, the damp clothes in the hamper are growing mold, the water you didn't wipe up of the floor is seeping into the sub floor and growing mold, etc… each one capable of producing millions of spores in 24 hours time. That is at least five million spores that you are inhaling and wiping all over your body. Then people wonder: “Where on earth could I have gotten this fungal infection? I may be neurotic, but I have never had a fungal infection.
Toothbrush
Aerosols fill the room for two hours after you flush the toilet. Salmonella and E. coli are just two of the bacteria that float around and land on your toothbrush, hand towels, etc.. This chain of events is called fecal- oral contamination.
E. coli are normally found in the bowels and are harmless there. However, once E. coli is outside of the body it can be infected by molecules that cause disease. Some diseases that can be passed by fecal oral contamination are : Giardiasis, Hepatitis , Rotavirus, Shigellosis (bacillary dysentery), Typhoid fever, Vibrio parahaemolyticus infections, poliomyelitis, and Cholera. With most of these diseases death is rare. However, most will make you so sick that you wish you were dead. Dr. Gerba, University of Arizona's environmental microbiologist, found that “ about 10% of the toothbrushes that we test have E. coli on them.” The point of brushing ones teeth is to clean them, not contaminate them. Of course those with a compromised immune system are at the greatest risk. However, brushing your teeth with fecal matter is going to make even the healthiest person sick.
Laundry
In the same research study cited above, Dr Gerba swabbed the insides of 100 washing machines and the clothing contents. He found that more than 60 percent tested positive for coliform bacteria (found in fecal material) and 20 percent contained staph. Dr. Gerba confirmed that the laundry bacteria is primarily from underwear, but also included bacteria from dishcloths and sponges. The heat from the dryer does not kill this bacteria. Staph infections are responsible for a number of diseases. Anything from pimples and boils to life threatening meningitis and septicemia are caused by staph. I don't relish the idea of wiping my face on my underwear. Staph of course preys on the weak, but a healthy immune system will not protect you from contaminating yourself with your own laundry.
A few years ago I had a patient that had to have her face lanced. She popped a pimple on her face and didn't think twice about it. A few days latter the area was filled with pus, swelled, and turned bright red. By the time she came to the doctors office, it was the size of a golf ball. She had to have surgery to lance and drain the area. The puss was cultured and tested positive for staph and E. coli.
In conclusion, anyone who is still not concerned should consider these facts: A single bacteria cell can multiply into over 8 million cells in 24 hours. It takes 10 to millions of bacteria to make a person sick. It all depends on the bacteria and the person that comes into contact with it. There are typically more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in a sink drain. Dirt in your home has been verified as one of today's top health risks. 80 percent of infections are spread through hand contact. Every three minutes, a child brings his hand to his nose or mouth. .
