Latest news with #Staphylococcusaureus
Fox News
2 days ago
- Health
- Fox News
Plastic water bottle left in a hot car? Think twice before sipping from it
It's the height of summer, and for many Americans, that means scorching cars and forgotten plastic water bottles rolling around under the seats. But before you take a sip out of one of those, you might want to think twice, experts say. High temperatures and prolonged sun exposure can create conditions that lead to both chemical leaching from plastic bottles and bacterial growth, especially if the bottle has already been opened. Experts warn this dual threat could pose a risk to your health. "The combination of microbial growth and chemical leaching from the plastic makes it a double-edged sword," said Dr. Paul Savage, a toxin expert and chief medical officer at MDLifespan in Chicago. Many single-use plastic water bottles are made from a type of plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). When PET-containing bottles sit in the heat, the polymer chains in the plastic can start to break down and cause the release of various chemicals, including trace amounts of phenol, like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, into the water. "Phenols and phthalates are endocrine disruptors, meaning they interfere with the natural hormones in our body," said Nicole Deziel, an environmental epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated that the current levels of BPA and phthalates used in food packaging are safe, many of these substances have already been banned or voluntarily phased out. "While many of these bacteria are harmless in small amounts, heat can amplify their growth, potentially leading to harmful levels …" Plastics can start leaching chemicals when temperatures reach 85 degrees. And the process accelerates significantly at higher temperatures, especially above 100 degrees, Savage said. Even BPA-free bottles may not be a safer alternative. Many of these products use chemical substitutes that, according to Savage, are structurally similar to BPA and may have similar endocrine-disrupting effects. These alternatives haven't been studied extensively, leaving scientists cautious. Another growing concern is the presence of microplastics – tiny plastic particles that can shed from the bottle over time, especially under heat. Studies in animals have linked microplastic exposure to inflammation, cellular stress and hormonal disruption, though the full impact on human health remains unclear. Plastic bottles reused after opening – especially those left in warm environments – can also become a breeding ground for bacteria, including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus (staph infection), introduced from the mouth, hands or air. "While many of these bacteria are harmless in small amounts, heat can amplify their growth, potentially leading to harmful levels that cause gastrointestinal issues or infections," Savage told Fox News Digital. Bacteria can thrive in microscopic grooves and scratches in plastic bottles, Savage said. Studies have found that bacteria can grow in open bottles within 48 hours, even at room temperature. Some concerns about heated plastic bottles have been exaggerated or misunderstood. For example, claims that dioxins – known carcinogens – are released when plastic bottles are left in hot cars have been debunked by scientists. These rumors trace back in part to a viral 2006 email attributed to musician Sheryl Crow, a breast cancer survivor, who warned about cancer-causing chemicals from heated bottles. However, experts affirm that PET does not contain or produce dioxins. To reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals and microbes, experts recommend avoiding the reuse of single-use plastic water bottles – especially in hot environments. "Glass and stainless steel can withstand repeated heat and sun exposure," said Bryan Quoc Le, a California food scientist and author of the book "150 Food Science Questions Answered." While bacteria can also grow in reusable containers, glass and stainless steel bottles are easier to clean thoroughly and can withstand high-temperature washing — "which can reduce microbial growth," Le added.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Tourist's life-changing injuries 'after swimming in filthy hotel pool'
Alexis Williams, 23, went for a swim at the Residence Inn Downtown Ann Arbor Hotel while staying in Michigan - but hours later she was struck down with 'excruciating pain', her lawyers say A woman suffered horrific injuries after swimming in an untreated hotel pool, her lawyers say. Alexis Williams, 23, was visiting her grandma while she was undergoing medical treatment in Michigan in June and had decided to stay at the nearby Residence Inn Downtown Ann Arbor Hotel. While there, she and her cousins went for a swim in the hotel's pool - but soon became violently ill, she claims. Alexis says she later found out that scraping her knee while swimming had led her to contract a rare infection known as MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It comes after a man claimed 'I died for seven minutes in hospital - here's exactly what I saw on the other side'. The infection is particularly dangerous because it's resistant to most antibiotics - which means it can spread easily to the point it becomes a threat to life. Just hours after taking a dip, Alexis was struck down with "excruciating" pain and found herself unable to walk. Speaking to Fox 2 Detroit, she explained: "It was outrageous. The pain was excruciating. I had to get poked a lot with a whole bunch of needles, and being prescribed medications I never thought I'd be prescribed to." What followed was three gruelling rounds of surgery on her leg and the intravenous administration of potent antibiotics, her lawyer Ven Johnson said. Alexis - who now receives constant medication through an IV, and even needs a walker to move around - was terrified doctors would amputate her leg. "I've gone through a lot of pain and suffering, and still currently am," she told the Detroit Free Press. "I'm very frightened, very nervous and just appalled by everything." After making a request to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Alexis' lawyers learned of the disgusting condition of the pool. Her lawyers said inspections from June 12, June 27 and July 8 showed neither chlorine no bromine had been put in the water. The case centres around claims the hotel was fully aware the swimming pool "had a Standard Plate Count that exceeded 200 CFU/ml". This reading would indicate a "dangerous level of bacteria present in the swimming pool and poor disinfection", the complaint reads. Alexis' legal team alleges the hotel disregarded public safety and was aware of the unsafe environment it had created for guests. "Alexis started developing this infection within several hours of coming into contact with this water," Michael Freifeld, one of her attorneys, told the Detroit Free Press. "We have no doubt, given the records we have and the experts that we are going to hire, that the infection Alexis experienced, and is experiencing, was clearly connected to the pool." Mr Freifeld said doctors warned they may have to amputate her leg if the infection is not brought under control by her current treatments. "For anybody, let alone a 23-year-old young person, it's a very scary, uncertain prognosis," Mr Johnson said. Alexis and her team are seeking $25,000 (£18,820) in damages The Mirror has contacted the owner of the Residence Inn for further comment.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Fisherman loses part of foot after rare flesh-eating bacteria infection in Mumbai
Mumbai: A 78-year-old fisherman from Worli lost a portion of his left foot due to an infection caused by a rare "flesh-eating" bacteria, according to doctors who treated him for a 20-day period before discharging him last week. The bacteria was identified as Vibrio vulnificus, belonging to the same family that causes cholera, an acute diarrhoeal infection. Vibrio vulnificus is found along the coasts, and infections could be caused either by eating contaminated raw shellfish or oysters or exposure due to broken skin while wading through contaminated salt or brackish water. "Vibrio vulnificus infections have been reported in India, but are extremely rare," said Dr Gunjan Chanchalani, who heads the critical care department in Wockhardt Hospital, near Mumbai Central railway station, and was part of the team that treated the fisherman. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai On June 26, the fisherman was brought to the hospital in a near-death situation. "He was in septic shock, with a bad left leg wound. We realised the infection was spreading through his body and his blood pressure was low," said the doctor. Through scans, tests, and history-taking from family members, the doctors realised he had necrotising fasciitis (flesh-eating disease) after a minor foot injury during a routine fishing trip off the Worli coast. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo He recalled a sharp prick while wading through brackish water a few days earlier. Necrotising fasciitis, which can be fatal, is caused by a combination of different bacteria, with the most common being Group A Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus. It is known to spread throughout the body within 48 hours, and the key is to identify the organism causing it and administer the right antibiotic. The Wockhardt microbiologists found Vibrio vulnificus in the culture they grew in the lab within 48 hours, and he was started on doxycycline, the antibiotic that works on cholera as well. However, as the infection spread through his bloodstream (sepsis) and lungs, he was on a ventilator for seven days. Also, surgeons had to carry out three debridements—removal of dead (necrotic) skin tissue to help the wounded leg heal — but they had to finally amputate the front portion of his left foot. "His son told us fishermen in their colony have had similar infections," said Dr Chanchalani. "This could be due to salinity of the sea water getting reduced or pollution due to climate change," she added. Dr Rahul Pandit, who heads the ICU at H N Reliance Hospital in Girgaum, said, "Flesh-eating is a loosely used terminology; the bacteria destroy the skin, soft tissue, and fascia (muscles)." Necrotising fasciitis is not commonly seen in Mumbai, he said, with a few ICUs getting one or two cases a year. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Miami Herald
31-07-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Hotel pool with no chlorine gives woman ‘life-altering' infection, MI attorney says
A Michigan woman is suing after she said she developed a severe infection from an unkept hotel pool. The lawsuit was filed against Residence Inn Downtown Ann Arbor and its parent company, First Martin Corporation. McClatchy News reached out for comment July 31 but did not immediately hear back. On June 24, 23-year-old Alexis Williams went swimming in a pool while staying at the Residence Inn, according to a civil complaint. While swimming, Williams scraped her leg below her knee, causing her to be 'left with the life-altering, antibiotic-resistant infection MRSA,' the lawsuit and her attorney, Ven Johnson, said. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is caused by staph bacteria and is resistant to many antibiotics that typically treat staph infections, according to the Mayo Clinic. Williams had to have three surgeries, is still on IV antibiotics, needs at-home nursing care, and has to use a leg brace and a walker, Johnson told McClatchy News. According to the lawsuit, the hotel was unkempt and not up to standard. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy took water samples from the pool both before and after Williams' injury, and results showed 'zero chlorine, high pH levels and dangerous bacteria levels,' according to Johnson. 'The hotel had these test results but chose to ignore them and keep the pool open. This was not an accident but a blatant disregard for public safety,' Johnson said. The hotel did not shut the pool down or warn guests about the dangers from swimming in its 'filthy pool,' the lawsuit said. The lawsuit is asking for over $25,000 in damages.
Time Magazine
28-07-2025
- Health
- Time Magazine
How Often Should You Wash Your Towels?
You might think your towels don't get all that dirty. After all, you're clean when you use them, right? Wrong, say dermatologists, who argue that people don't wash their towels often enough. Here, experts break down how frequently you should toss different types of towels in the laundry—and what can happen if you don't clean them often enough. Bath towels Aim to wash your bath towels every two to three uses at a minimum. If you're not convinced all that laundry is necessary, consider that you're rubbing your towels over the most intimate parts of your body. 'When we dry off, our towel is collecting a bunch of tiny things we can't see, including dead skin cells—which kind of slough off—and microorganisms from your body,' says Dr. Kristina Collins, a dermatologist in Austin. Many of these microorganisms, which include bacteria, viruses, and fungi, are normal and harmless. The problem is, towels can easily become contaminated with unpleasantries such as skin pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, fecal pathogens, viruses that cause warts, and the fungal species that leads to athlete's foot and ringworm. 'When they have the opportunity to sit there in a moist environment and truly replicate and create a little colony, that can be a source of reinfection back to your skin,' Collins says. 'When you use that towel again—let's say you have breaks in your skin or an acne outbreak that's compromising your skin barrier—that can be a portal of entry to some of these pathogenic bacteria that have been able to replicate on the towel.' Read More: How Often Do You Really Need to Wash Your Sheets? If you have body or face acne, or a condition like eczema that makes you more susceptible to bacteria, it's a good idea to consider washing your towels more frequently than the average person. 'The chances of that towel having these types of microorganisms is going to be higher, and the chance that it can affect the skin is higher, too,' Collins says. How you dry your towels makes a difference, too. Hang them up on a bar rather than a hook so they can better air out, suggests Dr. Elizabeth Mullans, a dermatologist at Upton Dermatology in Houston. 'If it's on a hook, parts of it will be open to the air, but parts are still going to be all wet and jammed together,' she says, 'which means more chances for bacteria and fungi to grow.' Wash your towels in hot water that's 170°F or higher, experts advise, which will help kill germs and bacteria. Face towels It's best to have a separate face towel, as opposed to using your body towel to dry your face, Collins tells patients. 'You wouldn't pat your face with your underwear," she says, so why use a towel that's been up close and personal with your derriere? Switch out your face towel after every use, Collins advises. That doesn't necessarily mean doing laundry every day: She likes buying seven-packs of soft microfiber towels; after using one, she tosses it in the hamper and subs in a fresh one. Doing so helps prevent the transfer of bacteria, oils, and dead skin cells from your body to your face, which could trigger breakouts or other nuisances. 'The face is where people are going to have the most problems from overuse of a towel,' Collins says. 'The skin on our bodies is thicker—it's less susceptible to acne—and our face skin is more sensitive and prone to irritation.' Beach towels After you swim, leave some time to dive into your laundry pile: Experts recommend washing towels after every use, especially if you've been splashing around a public pool. 'They're exposed to higher moisture from the pool water, which also might have chlorine, organic debris, and other microorganisms, including pseudomonas,' says Dr. Rayva Khanna, a dermatologist at Georgetown University Medical Center. Pseudomonas are bacteria that lurk in warm environments like hot tubs and swimming pools and can cause hot tub folliculitis, an infection of hair follicles. This bacteria can easily spread via towels. Read More: How to Actually Do Laundry the Right Way Plus, when you're in a public space, your towel could come into contact with all kinds of bacteria you'd probably rather not rub onto your body. Not to mention, lots of swimmers hang beach towels outside to dry, which means they're exposed to allergens wafting through the air. 'If you have really bad hay fever, and you're using something that's been hung up outside, that can provoke allergies,' Collins says. There is, however, a saving grace for swimming towels. 'Unless you're a very progressive household, you're probably wearing a swimsuit,' she says. 'So there's not that direct contact with the genital area that your bath towel has. That in and of itself means the towel is probably not getting as dirty when you're drying off,' though there are still plenty of reasons to keep up with a rigorous washing schedule. Gym towels The most common towel-related question Khanna gets from patients is how often they should wash the towels they carry around in their gym bags. Her answer: After every use. While many of the same microorganisms that are a threat in your bathroom exist in the gym, there's a greater risk of cross-contamination in public places, Khanna says. If you use your towel to wipe down equipment, for example, you could wind up with someone else's bacteria on it (or transfer your own onto the treadmill someone else is about to use). 'You're hot and sweaty, and you're going to use it to dry yourself and then stick it in your gym bag,' Mullans says. 'The wetter it is, and the longer it's wet, the more those small amounts of bacteria or fungus are going to multiply,' increasing the risk of athlete's foot, jock itch, or warts. How to tell if your towel is making you sick If you notice whiteheads or little bumps on your skin, it's possible you could have a superficial bacterial infection. A red, scaly rash could be caused by ringworm or indicate a fungal skin infection, Mullans says. 'Sometimes people even get a big boil, or what in medicine we call an abscess,' she adds. 'A lot of times, those are related to Staph bacteria,' which can often be drained by doctors but sometimes spread so rapidly, they lead to serious illness and require IV antibiotics. Read More: How Much Do You Actually Need to Shower? Any time new symptoms pop up, it's a good idea to make an appointment with your primary care doctor or dermatologist and find out what's going on, Mullans says. It could turn out that once you get better acquainted with your laundry machine, your symptoms will improve.
