by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
A reader from Windsor, Ontario writes, "I'm a frequent traveler and some bathrooms are filthy. Were Mothers right when they said, never sit down on a public toilet seat? If you do, what is the risk of acquiring an infection? Or am I worrying needlessly?"
Many people share this woman's fear of a public toilet seat. One survey showed that 30 per cent of people "hold it" rather than use a public toilet, 40 percent flush the toilet with their feet and 60 percent hover over the seat.
Toilet seats won't trigger a worldwide pandemic of infectious disease. But do I ever sit down on a public toilet? The answer, a thundering "no"! But then I'm a male! My research reveals it's prudent to suffer just a touch of "potty paranoia".
In April 2003, a rapidly mutating SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus terrified scientists. The lethal virus was spread primarily by person-to-person contact. But studies show the SARS virus can survive for hours or days at room temperature. So door knobs, toilet paper dispensers and toilet seats could harbour the virus. Moreover, surveys reveal that 50 per cent of people do not wash their hands after visiting the bathroom.
Good sense indicates that public toilet seats are not one of the most hygienic areas. For instance, researchers found that 97 per cent of seats harbour bacteria that cause boils, 81 per cent harbour germs that cause diptheria and hepatitis, 39 per cent bacteria responsible for sore throats and 19 per cent were infected with staphlococcus and salmonella bacteria associated with food poisoning.
It's estimated that 20 million North Americans suffer from genital herpes. For years it was believed transmission occurred only by sexual contact. But then, Dr. Trudy Larsen, a researcher at the University of California, startled the scientific world. Her discovery would not win the Noble Prize, but her simple experiment laid to rest a common misconception.
Larsen took samples from genital herpes lesions and placed them on a toilet seat. She also asked a patient with an active lesion to sit on the seat for a few seconds.
Later that year at a scientific meeting Larsen told doctors that the herpes virus survived for at least four hours on the toilet seat.
To further prove her point Dr. Larsen took samples of the herpes virus from 10 patients with active lesions. She then infected rubber gloves, a vaginal speculum and dry gauge with the virus. They were all left in the open air and examined hours later.
The results were shocking. It was formerly believed that the herpes virus died quickly once exposed to room air. But a live virus could be cultured from rubber gloves after one hour, on the vaginal speculum after 18 hours, and 72 hours later on dry gauze.
Another study at McGill University revealed that the Human Papilloma Virus has been detected on toilet seats. This virus causes genital warts. It's also present in 90 per cent of cervical cancer patients.
I hesitate to mention this next point for fear of making us a nation of toilet seat hypochondriacs. But McGill researchers proved an infected bottom isn't the only way to infect seats. By placing dye in the toilet and then flushing it they found dye sprayed all over the seat. What goes in the bowl comes out of the bowl.
Urinals pose a problem for men. Standing shoulder to shoulder at urinals they may share something from the next stall. Researchers showed that when men urinate the spray can travel three feet! And spray carries more than urine. Makes one think a bit, doesn't it?
So mothers were right about potty seats. And if you can't hold it until reaching home you had better become "potty smart". One way is to always choose the first toilet stall. Studies show that it's the least used by the public.
One patient passed along this practical advice. She said, "With pantyhose straining at my knees I hover over the toilet, clutch my purse with my teeth and balance on high heels". Cirque Soleil would be proud of her.
Above all else be sure to wash your hands.
W. Gifford-Jones M.D is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker graduate of Harvard. Dr. Walker's website is: Docgiff.com
My book, �90 + How I Got There� can be obtained by sending $19.95 to:
Giff Holdings, 525 Balliol St, Unit # 6,Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1E1
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