Infectious Diseases

National Hand-Washing Awareness Week reminds us just how important hand-washing is for good health! Towels vs. air dryers? Antibacterials vs. plain soap? Hand sanitizer vs. soap and water? Below are some answers to frequently asked hand-hygiene questions. (Thank you to Mayo Clinic Infection Prevention and Control for this great information.): Bacteria are more likely to spread from wet hands than dry, so drying is an important step in hand-washing. Studies suggest paper towels are more effective and reduce the contamination potential in restrooms compared to air dryers. Towels allow you to turn off the faucet and open the door without contaminating your hands. So, when given the option, use a towel over an air dryer. It is estimated that 1 in 6 Americans (roughly 48 million people) get sick from foodborne diseases each year. Norovirus causes the most illness each year and often is associated with poor hand hygiene. Food is easily contaminated by infected food handlers. There is no evidence that antibacterial soaps are more effective than plain soap for preventing infection under most circumstances in the home or public places. Therefore, plain soap is usually recommended in public, non-health-care settings. Note: There may be specific areas at Mayo Clinic that use antibacterial soap (e.g., surgical areas and operating rooms). Although hand sanitizer is the preferred method of hand hygiene in the health care setting (this is due to its accessibility), soap and water are required before eating, after using the restroom, and when hands are visibly soiled. For more information about the importance of hand-washing, watch this CDC video, Put Your Hands Together.  Also, see this video from our Mayo Clinic News Network colleagues, Are you washing your hands long enough to kill germs? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knAPHGpiM9k

The reach of social media cannot be denied. It has the potential to connect us, inform us and empower us to achieve healthier, happier lives. That is certainly true when it comes to raising public awareness about medical challenges and solutions. In fact, this past week Mayo Clinic invited doctors, researchers, patients and caregivers to explore the possibilities at The 5th Annual Health Care Social Media Summit. Dennis Douda profiles one of the speakers who is already making a big difference in the lives of others. [pkg. 2:12] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AjHr1NqXuI Journalists: Broadcast quality video and audio is available in the downloads. Click here for a transcript of the video report.  Learn more about the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media.

One of the top reasons people search the Mayo Clinic website is for information about skin disorders.  On Saturday, Oct. 26, Dawn Davis, M.D., will ...

A team of Mayo Clinic researchers have found that hypoxia can be detected prior to incapacitating physical symptoms which can be a safety threat at high altitudes. Jan ...

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A team of Mayo Clinic researchers have found that hypoxia can be detected prior to incapacitating physical symptoms which can be a safety threat ...

A Mayo Clinic physician and two other pediatric experts say that parental perceptions pose a major barrier to acceptance of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination — and that many of those perceptions are wrong. Their comments are published in the September issue of Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, in an editorial on why HPV vaccination rates remain poor. “The greatest misperception of parents is that the HPV vaccine isn’t needed,” says Mayo Clinic’s Robert Jacobson, M.D., lead author of the editorial. “Not only is that wrong, it’s a dangerous idea to be spreading around. Recent figures show that at least 12,000 unvaccinated women develop cervical cancer from HPV every year.” Other incorrect perceptions: The HPV vaccines are not safe, and they are given to children when they are too young. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Jacobson and b-roll are available in the downloads. To read the full news release click here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that an average of 30,000 deaths occur annually as a result of flu and associated complications. Influenza is a serious and potentially deadly disorder.   With last year’s flu outbreak ranking among the worst in recent history, Mayo Clinic experts are offering advice and dispelling many misconceptions about the flu to help people stay healthy. Infectious diseases specialist Teresa Seville, M.D., at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, says, “The vaccine is the best defense against flu and serious flu-related conditions, and because it’s difficult to predict how and when the flu will strike, I recommend getting it as early as you can." One of the most common myths about the flu is that the vaccine will cause the flu. Jennifer White, M.D., family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Springfield, Minn., says, “Although many people believe this, it is a myth. Injectable flu vaccines are composed of portions of inactivated flu proteins, and it’s impossible for them to cause the flu. Nasal spray vaccines have live, weakened flu organisms that can’t multiply or cause disease.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55K_w9zrd94 Vandana Bhide, M.D., internal medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic in Florida, adds, “Though many people who get the flu will have fever, muscle aches and need to stay home from work or school for a few days, certain people can develop serious complications, which could include pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and other conditions. The vaccine can help avoid these issues.” Read news release for more information and tips for avoiding illness. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Bhide are available in the downloads.

Expectant moms have yet another good reason to get their flu shot. It may lower their new baby’s risk of autism. "From a public health point of view, this is very exciting news," says Greg Poland, M.D., head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "About 1 in 88 kids or so in the U.S. are getting diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), so this is a major public health issue and the potential benefit is huge." The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says autism has increased tenfold over the past 40 years. So, who wouldn’t roll up their sleeve to lower the risk?  [TRT 1:42] Journalists: To read a transcript of the video report click here. Additional b-roll is available in the downloads. REFERENCES: [1.] Pediatrics, 2012 Dec;130(6):e1447-54. doi: 10.1542/peds.2012-1107. Epub 2012 Nov 12.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23147969 [2.] NIH/National Inst. Of Mental Health   http://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2013/flu-in-pregnancy-may-quadruple-childs-risk-for-bipolar-disorder.shtml [3.] Pediatrics, 2001 May;107(5):E84.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11331734 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bnf-L5fERxM

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfVv7bJTIpk Multimedia Alert: Federal budget furloughs put work on flu vaccines for 2014-15 `behind the curve’. Flu season is underway, but how many Americans have been hit so far, how badly, and which influenza bugs are to blame is a mystery. That information is important to prevent and manage outbreaks, and it is crucial for creation of the next batch of influenza vaccines. But this flu season, the nation is flying (and coughing, and sneezing, and maybe worse) blind. That’s because the agency that normally keeps the country on top of influenza outbreaks — the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) — is largely out of commission due to the federal government shutdown. Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert Gregory Poland, M.D., explains what the CDC normally does and what federal furloughs mean to efforts to protect people from contagious illnesses. Read news release. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Poland and b-roll of his lab are available in the downloads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3oZrMGDMMw Outbreaks of pertussis or 'whooping cough' are being reported across the country, and according to a recent study published online in the journal Pediatrics, the ...

Join us on Monday, October 7 from 11am-Noon EDT for an @MayoClinic hosted twitter chat where our panel of experts will be answering these and other HCV related questions. - I have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C Virus, HCV—What What tests do I need now? - What treatments for chronic HCV are available now? - What new treatment options may be available to treat HCV in the next 6 months? This twitter chat will be hosted by Mayo Clinic in Florida hepatologist Andrew Keaveny, M.D. The following experts will be answering your HCV questions: •          Moderator: Dr. Andrew Keaveny (@AndrewKeavenyMD)—Mayo Clinic in Florida •          Maria Yataco, M.D. (@MariaYatacoMD)—Mayo Clinic in Florida •          Surakit Pungpapong, M.D. (@SPungpapong)—Mayo Clinic in Florida