Bad Bacteria Lurk In Highway Rest Stops

(WebMD)  It may come as no surprise to the travel-wise, but public restrooms along America's highways are indeed a haven for potentially dangerous bacteria.

The latest evidence comes from a study presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

Researchers collected swab samples from places people normally touch in public bathrooms, such as restroom door handles, toilet stall handles, toilet flush handles, sink handles, towel dispenser handles, and blow dryer handles, at travel and rest stops along major interstate highways in the Southwest.

Their results showed the presence of many different bacteria, such as staph bacteria and E. coli. MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a difficult to treat type of staph that can cause potentially life-threatening infection, was found in 10 of the 47 samples taken.

"This study emphasizes the importance of washing your hands after using restrooms," says researcher Keith Sternes, PhD, of Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, in a news release. "It is advisable for individuals using any public restroom at rest stops or anywhere should carefully and diligently wash their hands and use a towel or other type of device to cover their hands when exiting the restrooms. This would help to prevent recontamination by pathogenic bacteria and lessen the chances of infection of themselves or others."

By Jennifer Warner
Reviewed by Louise Chang
©2005-2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved

[rf35]

cyberus, it is that can of Lysol that creates bacteria like MRSA. "Kills 99.9% of germs," and what about the .1% that survive? They multiply, passing on the gene that allowed them to survive. Now your counter is covered with bacteria than swim happily in Lysol. Same with overprescribing antibiotics. Give them to some kid with a cold and you just helped MRSA get started. As we become a sterile society, more and more of these super-bugs are going to crop up. Watch and remember.

[ajaxrose1]

Bad bacteria lurk in restops? OMG! Say it ain''t so! I never would have guessed, I''m SO glad someone spent money to do a study and let the media know the results. DUH!

[tucano2]

When the illegal aliens traverse the land they criminally entered they spread their germs everywhere and kill Americans. Local law enforcement seems to have no big problems arresting animal abusers, wife abusers, child abusers, speeders, those who run red lights, and so on; what are American cops so deeply freightened of they cannot, or will not but in any case do not, arrest illegal aliens who became wanted criminals before they took their second criminal step on America''s sacred sovereign soil? Have American cops turned into wussies? We taxpayers demand something of value for the money we spend on cops, and we are not getting it.

[jsilver2th]

I hear McCain is a germophob- may he can wage war on microbs- I wonder what a similar test in a hospital would show?

[impeach_w]

Who knew that those toe tappers were even nastier than we imagined? Deeeeeeeeeeee-Scustinkggg!

This story could gag a maggot

Don''t forgot to was your damnhands and Twice if necessary! You know who you are.

Attempt to Be So regular you can set your watch by it, and only poop at home!

[beehive21-2009]

Its called Microbiology , folks, and yes we are covered with a normal flora of micros some good some bad, its when you don''t take of yourselves that the bad ones proper and you get ill.they both keep you healthy when you balance them correctly,like anything,when you indulge, you lose. Drink or smoke too much and you in trouble ,so, moderation people, moderation especially on the sweets.Do not use road side anything and keep the kids away from pubic anything.

[itgranny]

Newsflash....Bad bacteria are everywhere.

[bluestardad]

MEDICAL FIELD!

CURE SOMETHING!

ANYTHING!

QUIT MAKING MONEY OFF TREATING ILLNESS AND CURE IT!

PROVE YOU ARE WORTH THE BILLIONS AMERICA SPENDS ON YOU EACH YEAR!

QUIT BEING PART OF THE PROBLEM AND START FIXING THE PROBLEM YOU BEGGARS AND THIEVES!

AMERICA DESERVES MORE!

AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

[grammawhamma]

Geez...another study to study what we already know....public bathrooms have germs. "rolling my eyes"

SharnCedar: I pity you. May God have mercy on your pitiful soul.

[puzzler125]

Calling for the quarantine of AIDS or HIV patients is barbaric. Every child with hemophilia that now has HIV + status would be quarantined according to your archaic statement. Weakened immune systems are caused by a multitude of factors and perhaps even yours is but you don''t know it. As a former healthcare worker I''ve seen a multitude of shortcuts by doctors, nurses and technicians that reinforced the spread of illness and disease due to their unsafe practices and cut corners. Blame the spread of MRSA on the staff who do not follow the most basic precautions at hospitals and medical offices. If you acquired HIV during a transfusion after a traumatic motor vehicle accident would you voluntarily quarantine yourself? I think not.