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Cleaning fluids used in hospitals may pose a health risks

A pilot study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health has found that potentially hazardous chemicals are contained in a selection of agents used in several different hospitals.

29 Mar 2009

Scientists develop new agents to fight superbugs

Experts from Queen's University Belfast have developed new agents to fight MRSA and other hospital-acquired infections that are resistant to antibiotics.

24 Mar 2009

Study shows how Salmonella survives in environment

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have demonstrated how a single-celled organism, living freely in the environment, could be a source of Salmonella transmission to animals and humans.

23 Mar 2009

Environmental cleaning intervention reduces MRSA in intensive care units

A rigorous environmental cleaning intervention can reduce the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other multidrug-resistant organisms in hospital intensive care units (ICUs), according to a new study released today at the annual meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).

22 Mar 2009

Scientists, engineers to face obstacles over the next decade in providing clean water

Scientists and engineers will face a host of obstacles over the next decade in providing clean water to millions of people caught up in a water shortage crisis, a panel of scientists and engineers said today at a briefing at the Broadcast Center of the National Press Building on the Final Report on the American Chemical Society's Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions.

29 Jan 2009

Vatican blames the Pill for environmental pollution

According to the Vatican's official newspaper, the contraceptive pill is a major cause of male infertility in the West and is also polluting the environment.

7 Jan 2009

How household bleach kills bacteria

Despite the fact that household bleach is commonly used as a disinfectant, exactly how it works to fight bacteria remained an open question.

16 Nov 2008

Death from anthrax in Britain

A musician and drum maker has died in Britain from anthrax after handling animal skins thought to have been imported from Africa.

3 Nov 2008

Disinfectants can make bacteria resistant to treatment

Chemicals used in the environment to kill bacteria could be making them stronger, according to a paper published in the October issue of the journal Microbiology. Low levels of these chemicals, called biocides, can make the potentially lethal bacterium Staphylococcus aureus remove toxic chemicals from the cell even more efficiently, potentially making it resistant to being killed by some antibiotics.

6 Oct 2008

New plastic film to tackle E. coli

Chemical Engineers in Switzerland have created a plastic film that's up to 1000 times more effective at killing E. coli bacteria cells than conventional methods.

14 Aug 2008

U.S. EPA calls out nation's largest manufacturer of hospital disinfectants

Consumers should never have to second-guess information on product labels, and through a recent settlement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lonza Inc., the nation's largest manufacturer of hospital disinfectants, consumers will now assuredly be getting what they pay for.

4 Aug 2008

Antibacterial wipes may spread bacteria

Antibacterial wipes which have become increasingly popular in many homes, nursing homes, schools and hospitals, may not it seems be the answer when it comes to getting rid of dangerous bacteria.

3 Jun 2008

Clostridium difficile killed on exposure to surfaces made of copper and its alloys, brass and bronze

Scientists in the Environmental Healthcare Unit at the University of Southampton in the U.K. have found that infectious bacterium Clostridium difficile is killed when exposed to surfaces made of copper and its alloys, brass and bronze. The results of the study have been published in the February 2008 issue of the Journal of Hospital Infection.

3 Jun 2008

New research into superbug Clostridium difficile

New research into the toxins, virulence, spread and prevention of the superbug Clostridium difficile is reported in the June special issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology. These findings will play a crucial role in providing us with ammunition in the fight against a sometimes deadly pathogen.

1 Jun 2008

Lotion which glows under ultraviolet light lights up nasty bacteria

A team of Canadian scientists using a lotion which glows under ultraviolet light have shown that up to a third of patient toilets are not properly cleaned. Their findings, published in BioMed Central's journal, BMC Infectious Diseases, also show that spores from the nasty bacteria Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) linger in the loo even when it has been thoroughly wiped down.

11 May 2008

Enterovirus 71 in China claims the lives of two more children

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that a virus that has killed 24 young children and infected more than 5,000 could continue to spread regardless of efforts to contain it.

5 May 2008

New understanding of hydrogen peroxide's role in cell health

Hydrogen peroxide, the same mild acid that many people use to disinfectant their kitchens or treat cuts and abrasions, is also produced by the body to keep cells healthy.

3 Jan 2008

Research could turn the tables on superbugs

Scientists in Australia and America believe they have found a way to deal with the increasing antibiotic resistance of deadly superbugs such as MRSA.

27 Dec 2007

Bird flu comes to Poland just in time for Christmas

Another outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in Poland on the weekend means an extension of the export ban of Polish poultry and eggs for another two weeks.

10 Dec 2007

Lessons learned from Marburg and Ebola outbreaks

Outbreaks of filovirus haemorrhagic fevers (FHFs) such as those caused by the Ebola and Marburg viruses can only be controlled if agencies have the support and trust of local communities, according to two papers just published in the online edition of the Journal of Infectious Diseases as part of a special supplement on filovirusues.

29 Oct 2007