Salmonella risk to tots from dust.Environmental health officers investigating Salmonella salmonella Any of the rod-shaped, gram-negative, non-oxygen-requiring bacteria that make up the genus Salmonella. Their main habitat is the intestinal tract of humans and other animals. outbreaks among young children may be missing a less-than-obvious source--the contents of the domestic vacuum cleaner vacuum cleaner, mechanical device using a draft of air to remove dust, loose dirt, or other particulate matter from dry surfaces. It is especially useful on highly textured surfaces, such as carpets and upholstery, that are difficult to clean by wiping or brushing. bag--according to new research. Historically, Salmonella has been linked to animal contact or contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. foods. But research published by the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health The Royal Society for the Promotion of Health is the largest and longest-established public health organisation in the United Kingdom. It is completely independent of government and of any special interest. in Great Britain Great Britain, officially United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, constitutional monarchy (2005 est. pop. 60,441,000), 94,226 sq mi (244,044 sq km), on the British Isles, off W Europe. The country is often referred to simply as Britain. reveals that contaminated house dust may be an undetected vector. The researchers found that the Salmonella bacteria can survive for up to 65 days in a dust bag and can infect a child throughout this time. "Once Salmonella gets into the vacuum cleaner bag, it is in a completely variable environment," said Dr. Kay Sharp, senior lecturer senior lecturer n. Chiefly British A university teacher, especially one ranking next below a reader. at University of Surrey The University of Surrey is a public university in Guildford, England. It received its charter on 9 September 1966, and was situated near Battersea Park in south-west London. The institution was known as Battersea College of Technology before gaining university status. Roehampton, who headed the research. "There may be fragments of food, there may be moisture content, which of course it needs. We are not necessarily saying it is growing, just that it remains viable." Vacuum cleaner samples were taken from 76 households in rural and urban areas. Questionnaires revealed the numbers of children, the type of cleaner used, the presence of pets, whether outdoor shoes were worn indoors, and any history of intestinal illness over the last two weeks. Three bags contained the Salmonella bacteria, two from rural households and one from an urban household Likely sources of infection included livestock, manure and soil brought into the home on footwear, the feet of pets, and air currents. In urban areas, infection is more likely to come from pets, pigeons, or contaminated foods. "It may be of value to look at vacuum cleaner dust when investigating any gastrointestinal illness, not just Salmonella, particularly in an infant," Dr. Sharp said. This study was the first to look at Salmonella in vacuum cleaner bags. Research in the south Pacific island of Guam has shown that young children are vulnerable to Salmonella infection from house dust. It is known that levels of environmental contamination differ from country to country. (Adapted, with permission, from Environmental Health News, Vol. 19, No. 17, 2003.) |
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