Health
Why your laundry could be making you sick and what to do about it
Tossing in a load of wash at home sounds ordinary and harmless.
But healthcare professionals who wash their work uniforms at home may be unknowingly spreading superbugs, according to a new study.
Professor Katie Laird of De Montfort University Leicester, a public university in England, tested home washing machines in a study and found the machines failed to remove potentially harmful material, even after running a hot water setting at the equivalent of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
SHAMPOO RECALLED FOR BACTERIA CONTAMINATION THAT COULD CAUSE INFECTION
“Our research highlights that domestic laundering of healthcare textiles may not consistently eliminate harmful bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” Laird told Fox News Digital.
The team tested six different models of washing machines to see how well they cleaned fabric contaminated with bacteria that can cause a variety of health conditions.
Healthcare professionals who wash their work uniforms at home may be unknowingly spreading superbugs, according to a new study. (iStock)
Half of the machines did not disinfect the clothing during a rapid cycle — while a third of them failed to clean sufficiently during the standard cycle.
Laird, a professor of microbiology in the School of Pharmacy and head of the university’s Infectious Disease Research Group, said the finding “highlights potential risks associated with laundering healthcare uniforms at home, particularly concerning the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within community and hospital settings.”
A COMMON KILLER BUG IS ENDANGERING AMERICANS: ‘PANDEMIC IN PLAIN SIGHT’
In addition, this could mean home washing machines are a hub for antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Domestic detergents could even potentially create antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, according to Laird.
Even if healthcare workers followed all washing guidelines, half the machines in the study didn’t reach the correct temperature, the study found.
Healthcare professionals and their institutions should consider re-evaluating policies that allow workers to wash their work clothing at home, said a professor of microbiology who oversaw a new study. (iStock)
“What this means is that even if healthcare workers are following all the guidelines to domestically wash their uniforms, they will still not be reaching the disinfection level required to remove all pathogenic bacteria,” the professor said.
Potential limitations and fixes
The study was conducted with non-healthcare personnel, so the bacteria on that clothing may differ from the clothing of those who work in healthcare settings.
NEW CLASS OF ANTIBIOTICS DISCOVERED: ‘PROMISING ANSWER’
Potentially, however, the latter would see higher levels of “pathogenic and antibiotic resistant strains in healthcare workers’ domestic washing machines,” the professor said.
Laird recommended that healthcare professionals and their institutions re-evaluate policies that allow workers to wash their work clothing at home.
For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health
“Implementing standardized in-house laundering within healthcare facilities or using external industrial laundries will enhance infection control measures,” she said.
Half of the machines did not disinfect the clothing during a rapid cycle, while one third failed to clean sufficiently during the standard cycle. (iStock)
Due to at-home machines not functioning as they should, per the study, the research team recommended using a disinfectant for those washing machines at least once a month.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
They also recommended doing an empty wash in the machine to disinfect it at a temperature of approximately 194 degrees Fahrenheit.
“For individuals laundering at home, it’s crucial to adhere strictly to guidelines, such as using appropriate temperatures and detergents, to minimize risks,” Laird told Fox News Digital.
The team also said that effective laundering practices are a critical component, but that these should be part of a multifaceted approach.
They should “includ[e] prudent antibiotic use, robust infection control measures, and public education on hygiene practices and antimicrobial resistance,” she said.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING YOUR FLU SHOT, ACCORDING TO DOCTORS
Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
HOW LONG YOU’RE CONTAGIOUS WITH THE FLU — AND WHEN IT’S SAFE TO GO OUT
The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
RESEARCHERS LOCKED FLU PATIENTS IN A HOTEL WITH HEALTHY ADULTS — NO ONE GOT SICK
The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
FREQUENT HEARTBURN MAY BE A WARNING SIGN OF A MORE DANGEROUS CONDITION, DOCTOR SAYS
The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
BACTERIA IN YOUR MOUTH MAY TRAVEL TO THE GUT AND TRIGGER STOMACH CANCER, RESEARCH FINDS
After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Massachusetts7 minutes agoMass. House votes to set new rules for DiZoglio’s audit
-
Minnesota10 minutes agoMinneapolis considers closing dog park sitting on Indigenous land
-
Mississippi15 minutes agoMississippi Court of Appeals Brings ‘Court on the Road’ Prog…
-
Missouri22 minutes agoTwo airlifted after serious crash in Cole County
-
Montana25 minutes agoClark Fork River remains central to Missoula’s identity, conservation groups say
-
Nebraska30 minutes agoMiss Nebraska festivities kick off with opening ceremonies
-
Nevada37 minutes agoHillel of Northern Nevada Builds Community at the University
-
New Hampshire40 minutes agoNew Hampshire Pummels Altoona with 14 Runs on 18 Hits
