Bird Flu Health Warning

April 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Tracking H7N9

There is no evidence that the deadly H7N9 bird flu has yet spread between humans in China but health authorities seem ready for the virus to mutate at any time, a top US virologist has warned. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), said officials in China had studied more than 1,000 close contacts of confirmed cases and not found any evidence of human-to-human transmission. What’s bothersome is that there have been cases where no contact to poultry has been found.  These cases leave an open door when it comes to the source of infection. "That is powerful evidence because if you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News, UFE Feature Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Restroom Hand Air Dryers-Is the Business Going Green or Really Just Saving Some Green!

April 10, 2013 By 16 Comments
How effective are hand Dryers

»           Big Bang Theory - Hand Dryer Rant  How many times have you entered a public restroom and observed that there are no paper towels, only the lowly often maligned warm air hand dryer.  It could be the new high-tech looking Dyson that seems to be the rage in most establishments currently or some older type of hand dryer.  If you are like most people that the UFE (Urine Feces Everywhere) has observed and conversed with, then several things are going through your mind.   If you spend enough time in restrooms, like the UFE team you know that Hand-Washing compliance is going to be much lower with hand dryers, than if … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Article Honor Roll Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Texas Roadhouse Might Leave You with A Road-Rash

April 7, 2013 By 4 Comments
TexasRoadhouse350

Texas Roadhouse is an American chain restaurant that specializes in steaks and promotes a Western theme. Texas Roadhouse Corporation is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The first restaurant was opened in Clarksville, Indiana, in 1993. The chain operates over 300 restaurants with locations in 46 states, (est. 2009). It is known for its free buckets of peanuts at each table. The free bucket of peanuts on the tables is not a new concept. Over the years many establishments have offered this friendly snack.  The UFE (Urine Feces Everywhere) observers were concerned when they observed the workers at several Texas Roadhouses tossing the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Restaurant Hygiene Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Concerns Grow About New Avian-Flu Strain

April 7, 2013 By 4 Comments
Alarming new Bird Flu H7N9

Disease May Move Easily to Humans; U.S. Is Preparing to Develop a Vaccine Concerns about a deadly new strain of bird flu intensified as the disease claimed a sixth life in eastern China and agricultural authorities in Shanghai ordered a wide-scale slaughter of poultry in an effort to stem its spread. The new strain of bird flu has infected 20 people in China.  News that a Sixth person died in the outbreak has spread concern overseas.  The World Health Organization (WHO) said that 10 infected people had severe cases and two had mild cases of the fatal disease. It reiterated there was no evidence of ongoing human-to-human transmission of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Cheesecake Factory’s Dirty Little Secret

April 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment
cheesecake-factory 350

The UFE team recently reviewed the Restaurant chain, “The Cheesecake Factory.” A very busy and successful group of establishments that are approaching nearly 200 restaurants leaves you feeling that someone in the company has a firm grip on running a successful food business.  The Cheesecake Factories that were reviewed were impressively busy which is great to see in this down economy. The Cheesecake Factory when it comes to basic restaurant hygiene still has a lot to learn.  As it the case with many full service restaurants these days, the patron’s silverware is present on the table neatly wrapped in a cloth napkin. Here the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Restaurant Hygiene Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Breathe in: Plane toilets set to shrink in size as airlines look to make space for new seats

April 2, 2013 By 34 Comments
Lavatory 350

Sanitation in Airplane Lavatories has always been an impossible feat.  Touch-less is not something that airplane manufacturers understand.  Using the Lavatory facilities on an airplane should be on an “Only if absolutely necessary basis.” Overused under-Sanitized airplane restrooms are inherently dirty. The Lavatories are too small and now they are getting smaller.  Washing your hands thoroughly is impossible. Touching the soap dispenser is discouraged. The faucet requires one hand to constantly hold the water running.  So that leaves trying to wash your hand (singular).  It is best to take pre-moistened wipe in to the restroom. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Article Honor Roll, UFE Feature Tagged With: , , , , ,

Leafy Greens Leading Source Of Food Poisoning Illnesses, CDC Study Shows

March 31, 2013 By 2 Comments
Fresh green vegetable, isolated over white

A CDC government study has fingered leafy greens like lettuce and spinach as the leading source of food poisoning, an awkward conclusion for health officials who have urged Americans to eat healthier and to consume more fruits and vegetables The Centers for Disease Control study found that, in 20% of cases where a person contracted a foodborne illness, leafy green vegetables were the source of the illness. Every year, 1 out of every 6 Americans contracts a foodborne illness. Of those who become ill, 128,000 require a stay in the hospital and another 3,000 die from the illness or related conditions.  In Canada our friends to the North, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News, Newest Additions Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Salad is more Dangerous than Hamburgers, Health Experts Warn

March 27, 2013 By 18 Comments
lettuce 350x350

Salad is more dangerous than hamburgers, health experts warn. Salad that is bagged and labeled, “ready to eat is more dangerous than hamburgers”, states food experts.   There have been many recent incidents of infections linked to these pre-washed products.  There doesn’t seem to be a consensus on whether to re-wash the pre-bagged vegetables or eat them straight from the bag.  The interesting lesson here is that the handlers of these products can’t decide themselves.  For example some bags of prewashed lettuce recommend that the consumer re-rinse the lettuce themselves whereas  other companies claim to have thoroughly washed the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

DEADLY BACTERIA THAT DEFY DRUGS OF LAST RESORT

March 13, 2013 By 23 Comments
Super-bugs

  Antibiotic-resistant bacteria with the potential to cause untreatable infections pose "a catastrophic threat" to the population, England's chief medical officer warns in a report calling for urgent action worldwide. The widespread overuse of antibiotics combined with a lack of new types of antibiotics leaves us in a health system that could potentially be similar to the health system in the early 19th century. Antibiotics are failing at an alarming rate while new bacterial diseases have increased dramatically in the last few years.  The well-known “Superbugs” MRSA and C difficile have been reduced to low numbers in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Article Honor Roll, Hygiene in the News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Deadly SARS-like virus spreading

March 3, 2013 By 24 Comments
SARS

     A patient admitted to hospital in Saudi Arabia with a new virus from the same family as SARS has died, taking the global death toll from the previously unknown disease to seven.       History of SARS and the 2003 Outbreak       It is believed that the disease was initially transferred to humans through civets, a mammal with a cat-like appearance. The SARS outbreak actually began in November 2002 in the Guangdong province of mainland China. However, to preserve public confidence, the Chinese government did not inform the World Health Organization (WHO) of the outbreak until February 2003.  This new SARS-like virus has seems … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hygiene in the News, Sanitary Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,