Hand gels no good for farms - UK experts
Monday April 25th, 2011
Families visiting "petting farms" to see spring lambs and calves need to remember some basic rules of hygiene to protect themselves from dangerous infections, according to British watchdogs.
Children and
adults should remember to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water
after touching animals, according to the Health Protection Agency.
And squirt on hand gels are not adequate, the HPA says.
The risk of infection is low, according to the HPA, but it has chronicled about three outbreaks a year linked to farms which are open to the public.
Its study of 55 outbreaks in 17 years has shown that one of the problems has been over-reliance on hand gels instead of advising visitors to wash their hands.
Some 113 people needed hospital treatment from the 55 outbreaks - and a total of 1,328 illnesses were reported.
The HPA says it believes hand gels work in hospitals and offices - but will not work against E.coli or cryptosporidium, bugs which can be found in animal droppings.
Dr Bob Adak, of the HPA, said: "Visiting a farm is a very enjoyable experience for both children and adults alike but it's important to remember that contact with farm animals carries a risk of infection because of the bacteria – or germs – they naturally carry.
"It is very important to avoid direct contact with animal droppings and also to be aware of the importance of good hand hygiene. As soon as you have finished touching the animals it is very important to wash your hands using soap and hot water and then dry them thoroughly. Children should be supervised when doing this as they are more at risk of serious disease.
"Visitors should be aware that using sanitising gels is not a substitute for washing hands as gels may fail to remove contamination in the way that soap and running water can.
"However using sanitising gels following hand-washing with soap and water may provide extra benefit."
Tags: Child Health | MRSA & Hygiene | UK News
Printer friendly page