Dirty Brits

The UK is the dirtiest developed country, according to a new study from the Hygiene Council

New research released today reveals a quarter of Brits' kitchen sinks had E.coli present. Britain was the dirtiest country in the developed world, despite two thirds of Brits claiming they are more aware of the importance of hygiene now than last year. The first-of-its-kind study, which swabbed 140 homes from seven countries across the globe, found that:

• a quarter of UK kitchen cloths harbour E. Coli
• 15% of Brits' kitchen sinks had E. Coli present
• two thirds of baths and showers were satisfactorily clean,  yet only 45% of sinks were cleaned to the same standard

Worryingly, despite most harmful bacteria being found around the kitchen sink, the Global Hygiene Council's survey of people across the globe found that most people believe they need to focus their cleaning efforts on the rubbish bin and the toilet to protect their family from infection. 

Despite the public receiving more messages about hygiene than ever before, it is clear that there is still a gap between knowledge and practice.

Over half of those surveyed believe that washing hands regularly is the best way to prevent the spread of germs in the home. While good hand washing is vital to break the chain of infection, it's clear from the study findings that more attention needs to be paid to surface cleansing, especially in the kitchen, to protect family members from infection.

Two thirds of those surveyed revealed that they would change their plans to avoid visiting a house that they believed 'looked dirty'. When comparing this insight with the study findings, this indicates that there is a gap in people's knowledge about the importance of hygienic cleaning- just because something 'looks clean' does not mean that it is free from the pathogens that can make people ill.

E.Coli

E. coli is a common bug which is present everywhere in the environment. Mostly it helps people to stay healthy, providing the body with many vitamins, such as vitamin K.  But some strains - such as the O157 strain - are potentially fatal. Children and pensioners are especially vulnerable to E. coli 0157 which is normally found in the intestines of people and cattle and can be passed on by eating infected food and liquid. The number of cases in the UK have tripled in the last decade, jumping from 361 cases in 1991 to over 1,000 cases in 1997.

Around 15% of cattle are now thought to carry it in their gut.  The strain first appeared in Britain in the 1980s and is technically known as Verocytotoxin-producing E. coli, or VTEC. Fewer than 100 of the tiny E. coli organisms can cause illness.
In the worst recorded E. coli outbreak, 20 people died in Scotland after attending a church lunch in Wishaw, Strathclyde.  On November 26 1996, nine days after the lunch, the first victim, Harry Shaw, 80, died.

E. coli symptoms can range from mild diarrhoea to abdominal cramps and blood in the stools. Some patients also suffer from a complication, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which kills red blood cells and can cause kidney failure. Children under five are particularly vulnerable to HUS. About 5 to 10% of them progress to this stage.

Health risks

In severe cases, it can cause permanent kidney damage. Young children are particularly vulnerable because they cannot tolerate much fluid and blood loss. The elderly and people with damaged immune systems are also more at risk from the infection. Symptoms may appear within hours or days, depending on a series of factors, including the number of organisms ingested, the person's state of health and their natural resistance to the bug. 

Most people shake off the bug within around a week with the help of antibiotics.  However, there is no evidence that antibiotics have any positive impact on the 0157 strain, and their use may increase the risk of HUS.  Anti-diarrhoeal medication should be avoided and people should take lots of fluids.

Experts advise people who notice blood in their stools or watery diarrhoea in children to contact their doctor immediately.

Click on the link below for a household hygiene guide.