International Study Shows Nearly 90 Percent of Sponges and Half of Sinks Harbor High Levels of Illness-Causing Bacteria.
PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 25, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Nearly half of all kitchen sinks harbor high levels of potentially dangerous bacteria, according to a new international study released today, sponsored by LYSOL(R) brand products [and conducted by the Hygiene Council]. In fact, investigators swabbing for bacteria in the United States and around the world found that 46 percent of kitchen sinks – which families use for everything from bathing babies to washing pet food dishes – harbor unsatisfactory or heavily contaminated levels of bacteria, including E. coli, which can cause urinary tract infections, pneumonia and diarrhea. Surprisingly, the kitchen sink hosts more germs than the bathroom sink, the refrigerator door handle or even the toys that our toddlers chew on.
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The Hygiene Council is comprised of leading infectious disease specialists from around the globe and is now in its third year working to dispel myths about germs and educate consumers about basic hygiene practices, such as proper hand washing, food handling and regular surface disinfection. For the 2008 Hygiene Council study, investigators examined more than 1,120 household surfaces in seven countries around the world (Germany, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States) to look for bacteria and learn more about families’ hygiene habits.
Read more: PRNewswire / MarketWatch, 25 Jun 2008
