Salmonella |
Campylobacter |
E. Coli O157 |
Clostridium Difficile
Salmonella
What is is?
A common cause of food poisoning, Salmonella lives in the intestines of animals and infected people. Those who get ill with Salmonella can remain contagious even when they have fully recovered. It only takes a very low dose of some strains to make a person ill.
How does it spread?
- Salmonella generally comes from the faeces of infected people and animals.
- It enters the home frequently on raw poultry, but also on other foods, including eggs, and on animals (especially exotic pets).
- It enters the body through the mouth and spreads from person to person via contaminated food, hands and surfaces.
- The risk of contamination is particularly severe when someone has diarrhoea.
Who is at risk?
Anyone can be infected by Salmonella, but those most at risk are children, the elderly and other vulnerable people.
What are the symptoms?
Diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. In people more prone to infection, the Salmonella bacteria may spread to the bloodstream and affect the internal organs.
Prevent the spread
- Everyone should wash their hands frequently and thoroughly.
- Take special care with food and kitchen hygiene. Ill people should not prepare food for others.
- As ill people can carry bacteria for many weeks after recovery, you should maintain good hygiene standards even when the symptoms have gone.
- Hygienically clean bathroom surfaces with Domestos Extended Germ-Kill and disinfect toilets with the Domestos Toilet Cleaning System. If someone has diarrhoea, disinfect the toilet after each time they use it.
- Clean up any spillages (e.g. faeces, vomit) immediately.
- Disinfect cleaning cloths etc. by soaking overnight in a dilute solution of Domestos Extended Germ-Kill, drying them thoroughly.
- Handle dirty nappies with care and ensure they are disposed of carefully, by putting them in a nappy bag before putting them in a bin-liner. Doing this ensures that any bacteria is less likely to cause further harm. If you use a nappy bin, make sure you use a bleach product such as Domestos Bleach Spray to clean it after use.
Campylobacter
What is it?
A bacterium that lives in the intestines of birds (particularly poultry), animals and infected people. It is the most commonly reported cause of intestinal infection.
How does it spread?
Campylobacter may enter the home in several ways:
- In or on people who are infected with it. It can continue to be transmitted in faeces even after recovery.
- In or on domestic pets such as cats and dogs.
- In doorstep milk that has been pecked by birds.
When contaminated food or its juices come into contact with surfaces in the home, those surfaces will also become contaminated. The germs can then be transmitted round the home via hands that have been involved in cooking, or by touching surfaces, cloths, cooking utensils etc. The germs are contained in the vomit or faeces of a person or animal that is infected with, or that is carrying, the bug. It can then find its way round the home via hands, toilets, nappies, surfaces etc.
Who is at risk?
Anyone can be infected by Campylobacter. Those most at risk are babies, young children and others with reduced immunity.
What are the symptoms?
Diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever within two to 10 days after infection. Diarrhoea may contain blood and can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Prevent the spread
- Everyone should wash their hands frequently and thoroughly.
- Take special care with food and kitchen hygiene. Ill people should not prepare food for others.
- Hygienically clean your bathroom surfaces with Domestos Bleach Spray and disinfect toilets with the Domestos Toilet Cleaning System. If someone has diarrhoea, disinfect the toilet bowl and flush handle after they use it.
- Clean up any spillages (e.g. faeces, vomit) immediately.
- Disinfect cleaning cloths etc. by soaking overnight in a dilute solution of Domestos Extended Germ-Kill, drying them thoroughly.
- An ill person should not share cloths and towels etc. with others and their laundry should be kept and washed separately.
- Handle dirty nappies with care and ensure they are disposed of carefully, by putting them in a nappy bag before putting them in a bin-liner. Doing this ensures that any bacteria are less likely to cause further harm. If you use a nappy bin, make sure you use a bleach product such as Domestos Bleach Spray to clean it after use.
E. Coli O157
What is it?
E. Coli O157 is a more dangerous strain of the common E. Coli bacterium usually found in the gut of healthy humans. It can cause severe intestinal illness.
How does is it spread?
E. Coli O157 gets into the body through the mouth and generally comes from the faeces of infected farm animals or people. It often travels on or in food, or on the hands, and can be passed from person to person via frequently touched surfaces. Raw minced meat is a common source of E. Coli O157.
Who is at risk?
Anyone can be infected by E. Coli O157, but those most at risk are children and the elderly.
What are the symptoms?
- Severe, often bloody diarrhoea.
- In a few percent of cases of infection, life-threatening kidney damage can follow.
Prevent the spread
- Pay careful attention to hygiene around food and the toilet, especially if someone develops diarrhoea.
- Wash hands thoroughly before preparing food, after handling raw meat, after using the toilet and after cleaning or coming into contact with someone who is ill.
- Avoid cross-contamination of raw and cooked foods by cleaning and disinfecting worktops, chopping board and utensils as you go.
- Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces with Domestos Bleach Spray, especially if there is an outbreak in your local area (e.g. at school or work).
- Disinfect your toilet on a regular basis with the Domestos Toilet Cleaning System and if someone in the household is vomiting or has diarrhoea, do this after each time they use it.
Clostridium Difficile
What is it?
A spore-forming bacterium and one of the normal bacteria in the gut in 3% of healthy adults, also known as C.difficile or C.diff. From time to time, C.difficile gets the chance to reproduce rapidly, normally in an elderly person being treated with antibiotics, and causes potentially serious diarrhoea.
How does it spread?
It is possible for C.difficile spores to spread between people, as sufferers shed spores during episodes of diarrhoea. These spores can survive for a long time and can be transported on the hands of people who have direct contact with patients or surfaces contaminated with C.difficile.
Who’s at risk?
Those most at risk are the elderly (65+), particularly those taking antibiotics to supplement the good bacteria in their gut. Because the bacteria forms heat-resistant spores, cleaning with a non-hygienic cleaner and hot water alone is not enough to tackle it. It is able to thrive on almost any surface, particularly in hospitals or nursing homes, for long periods of time.
While babies can carry the bacteria, it rarely causes them problems. However, they can still pass the bacteria on to more vulnerable people.
What are the symptoms?
Diarrhoea of varying severity, fever, nausea and abdominal pain.
Prevent the spread
- Surfaces that are used frequently can become home to many germs which then pass from surface to surface – particularly if there's someone in the home who is infected. Make sure you keep surfaces hygienically clean with Domestos Bleach Spray.
- While the risk is normally small, these precautions become useful if someone in the home is unknowingly carrying C.difficile, as it helps prevent it from spreading. Make sure hands are thoroughly washed after going to the toilet and before preparing food.
- Disinfect your toilet on a regular basis with the Domestos Toilet Cleaning System. Keeping the toilet hygienically clean becomes more important when someone in the house has diarrhoea. In these instances, the toilet should be hygienically cleaned after each time they use it.
