Infectious Diseases - February 2014 Archives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWGv-OnU96o Mayo Clinic Expert Says Such an Ingredient Would Not Be Missed in Household Products Citing environmental concerns, Minnesota state legislators next month are expected to debate banning the use of the common antibacterial ingredient triclosan. By an executive order effective in 2013, Minnesota's governor had already barred state agencies from purchasing any hand washing, dish or laundry soaps containing triclosan. The concern is that natural chemical interactions in the environment will create dioxins that pose a threat to aquatic life. Dioxins also have been associated with an increased risk of cancer. Mayo Clinic infectious disease expert Pritish Tosh, M.D. says for the benefit of public health, fewer antibacterial products on the market could actually be a good thing. Dr. Tosh says the misuse of antibiotics and the overuse of antibacterial agents are at least partially to blame for the growth of so-called "super-bugs." Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Tosh are available in the downloads. Sound bite #1  Resistant Bacteria Thrive (Dr. Pritish Tosh, Mayo Clinic) [pronounced: prih-TEESH Tahsh] "This is contributing worldwide to problems

Middle-aged women were most common cat bite victims Rochester, Minn. — Feb. 5, 2014 — Dogs  aren’t the only pets who sometimes bite the hands that feed them. Cats do too, and when they strike a hand, can inject bacteria deep into joints and tissue, perfect breeding grounds for infection. Cat bites to the hand are so dangerous, 1 in 3 patients with such wounds had to be hospitalized, a Mayo Clinic study covering three years showed. Two-third of those hospitalized needed surgery. Middle-aged women were the most common bite victims, according to the research, published in the Journal of Hand Surgery. Journalists:  sound bites with Dr. Carlsen are available in the downloads. Why are cat bites to the hand so dangerous? It’s not that their mouths have more germs than dogs’ mouths — or people’s, for that matter. Actually, it’s all in the fangs.