PD-related peritonitis from Psathyrella candolleana caused by poor PD catheter belt hygiene.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated fungal peritonitis, although rare, presents significant challenges in diagnosis and management. Here, we present the first case of PD-related peritonitis attributed to Psathyrella candolleana and highlight a potential route of infection through contamination from the PD catheter belt. A 37-year-old female, with a history of heart and lung transplantation and undergoing continuous ambulatory PD, presented with acute abdominal pain and cloudy PD effluent (PDE). Genetic analysis of PDE and PD catheter tip confirmed diagnosis of P. candolleana. Treatment was successful without any relapses with timely PD catheter removal and an extended course of antifungal therapy. The root cause analysis suspected the dirt-stained PD catheter belt as the origin of contamination. In conclusion, this is the first case of P. candolleana infection in PD-related peritonitis. Preventive strategies should prioritize hygiene practices, including the PD belt to mitigate the risk of contamination and subsequent infections of such pathogens.

The association between lifestyle factors and the composition of the vaginal microbiota: a review.

PURPOSE: The vaginal microbiota offers valuable insights into women's sexual health and the risk of developing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and bacterial vaginosis. Despite the public health implications of changes in the vaginal environment, existing data on this topic remain sparse. METHODS: Following the PRISMA statement guidelines, we consulted five bibliographic databases, focusing on five main daily habits and behaviors. We included only studies published up to October 2023, investigating the influence of personal hygiene, sexual behaviors, hormonal contraception, smoking, alcohol consumption, and psychosocial stress on the vaginal microbiota using next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: Based on our inclusion criteria, we incorporated 37 studies into this review. Hormonal contraception and personal hygiene were found to promote eubiosis of the vaginal microbiota. In contrast, sexual behaviors, smoking, alcohol consumption, and psychosocial stress were associated with an increased susceptibility to bacterial vaginosis, STIs, and severe pelvic inflammatory diseases due to a modified vaginal microbiota. Black ethnicity emerged as a confounding factor, with this population showing unstable vaginal microbiota. Oral contraception and a stable male sexual partner were found to favor Lactobacillus colonization, acting as a protective factor. Conversely, non-hormonal contraception and unprotected or non-penile/vaginal sexual activity increased the incidence of vaginal inflammation and bacterial vaginosis by disturbing the vaginal microbiota and reducing Lactobacillus abundance. CONCLUSION: Daily habits and lifestyle can influence the composition of the vaginal microbiota, thereby affecting vaginal health. Disturbances in the vaginal microbiota could be associated factors for STIs and vaginosis. Therefore, prioritizing more appropriate management of the vaginal microbiota is crucial.

Personal hygiene practice and associated factors among elementary school students in Fiche Town, Oromia, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Students in school are more likely to be sick from communicable diseases like diarrheal illnesses, acute respiratory infections, and other illnesses linked to poor personal hygiene. Poor hygiene practices are common among school children and put their health at risk, which in turn has several consequences. These include significant school absences, transmission of infectious diseases to other students, and missed workdays for parents and guardians. However, there is limited evidence on the level of personal hygiene practice and its associated factors among school students. Thus, this study was aimed at determining personal hygiene practice level and its associated factors among elementary school grade (5-8) students in Fiche town, Oromia, Ethiopia, in 2022. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was conducted from April 29 to May 29, 2022, in Fiche town, Oromia regional state, among 534 elementary school students. A multi-stage probability sampling technique was used to select the individual students. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data was entered into epi-data version 4.6 and analyzed by SPSS version 26.0. Variables that scored a p-value less than 0.2 during bivariate analysis were included in multilevel logistic regression models to determine factors associated with personal hygiene practice. The odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was estimated, and the level of significance was set at [Formula: see text] 0.05. RESULTS: The magnitude of good personal hygiene (scored above the mean) was 59.2% (95% confidence interval (CI)) (55.1-63.0). A considerable proportion of students scored more than 50% in latrine use (62.5%), regular hand-washing (55.4%), and oral hygiene (55.20%) practices. Being female, having good personal hygiene knowledge, doing hygiene inspections at school, and having latrine accessibility was significantly associated with good personal hygiene among elementary school students. CONCLUSION: Considerable proportion of elementary school students in Fiche town have score poor personal hygiene practice. Interventions aimed that target improving knowledge of personal hygiene and hygiene inspection at school are crucial to enhance the personal hygiene among elementary school students.

Prevalence of methicillin sensitive and resistant Staphylococcus aureus carriage among German emergency medical providers.

Background: Health care workers (HCW) in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) frequently come into contact with carriers of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and may acquire and transmit them to patients. However, there is little data on MSSA and MRSA colonization of medical personnel in the emergency services. Additionally, few studies have analyzed the association between personal hygiene of staff and colonization. Therefore, we examined the prevalence of MSSA and MRSA in EMS staff of two German regions and evaluated their personal hygiene behavior. Method: Throat and nasal swabs from 300 EMS workers were analyzed. Both direct and pre-enriched cultures of the swabs were cultivated on culture media to identify MSSA and MRSA. Results were analyzed together with questionnaires about sociodemographic data and a self-assessment of hygiene behavior. Statistical analysis was done using the R statistical software. Results: Of the total 300 swabs, 55% were from paramedics, 39% were from emergency medical technicians (EMT) and 5% were from emergency physicians. With 1%, the MRSA prevalence was comparable to that of the German population, while the MSSA rate - 43.7% - was higher than expected. Colonization with MSSA was significantly associated with poor hand hygiene and male sex, and was inversely correlated to time on the job in EMS. Conclusion: The sample size of 300 and a MRSA prevalence of 1% made a meaningful analysis of potential influencing factors on the prevalence of MRSA infeasible. The comparatively high prevalence of MSSA and the association with decreasing frequency of hand antisepsis suggests an influence of personal hygiene on MSSA colonization. HCW in EMS should be encouraged to make use of their personal protective equipment and practice frequent hand hygiene. The implementation of diagnostic tools such as the Hand Hygiene Self-Assessment Framework of the WHO could be utilized to reveal problems in organizations, followed by an individual program to promote hand hygiene.

The link between anger and admiration toward governmental actions and self-reported preventive behaviour in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, across six correlational studies in four different countries (total N = 4937), we examined the link between citizens' anger with and admiration for the government's actions and decisions (i.e., system-based anger and admiration) and engagement in preventive behaviour. The internal meta-analyses showed that individuals who admired the government's actions were more likely to adopt personal hygiene and social distancing behaviour. Yet, the link between emotions and preventive behaviour differed concerning the target of emotions, especially for anger. Specifically, anger about restrictions imposed by the government was negatively related to preventive behaviours, but this relationship was not significant when the target of anger was the government's overall handling of the pandemic. Our findings emphasise the importance of citizens' emotions and the targets of those emotions during the crisis.

Chemicals in menstrual products: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: From menarche until menopause, the average menstruator will use over 11 000 tampons or sanitary pads. Vaginal and vulvar tissue is highly permeable, and chemicals are absorbed without undergoing first-pass metabolism. OBJECTIVES: To conduct a review of the literature to determine exposure to environmental chemicals in menstrual products. SEARCH STRATEGY: This review identified 15 papers over the past 10 years. SELECTION CRITERIA: Papers that measured chemicals in menstrual products and that measured human biomarkers of chemical exposure were included. Papers had to also be available in English. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Reviewers assessed the articles and data provided. Multiple chemical groups were found. MAIN RESULTS: Phthalates, volatile organic compounds, parabens, environmental phenols, fragrance chemicals, dioxins and dioxin-like compounds were detected in menstrual products. Research gaps were identified, including the lack of studies on newer products such as menstrual underwear and cups/discs. In addition to measuring chemicals in these products, future research should focus on clarifying the exposure per menstrual cycle to these chemicals to understand how menorrhagia and cycle length influence exposure from menstrual products. CONCLUSION: Menstrual products contained measurable levels of a range of endocrine disrupting chemicals including phthalates, phenols and parabens. This reflects a potentially important route of exposure to chemicals that can impact women's reproductive health.

Music Therapy During Basic Daily Care in Critically Ill Children: A Randomized Crossover Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether music therapy (MT) is effective to reduce pain during daily personal hygiene care (DPHC), a procedure performed in all patients in a pediatric intensive care unit. METHODS: Fifty critically ill children were enrolled in a crossover controlled clinical trial with random ordering of the intervention, that is, passive MT, and standard conditions, and blind assessment of pain on film recordings. The primary outcome was variation of the Face Legs Activity Cry Consolability (FLACC) score (range, 0-10) comparing before and during DPHC. Secondary outcomes were changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, and mean arterial blood pressure, and administration of analgesic or sedative drugs during DPHC. Mixed-effects linear model analysis was used to assess effect size (95% CI). RESULTS: The median (Q25-Q75) age and weight of the patients were 3.5 years (1.0-7.6 years) and 15.0 kg (10.0-26.8 kg). Consecutive DPHC were assessed on days 3 (2-5) and 4 (3-7) of hospitalization. In standard conditions, FLACC score was 0.0 (0.0-3.0) at baseline and 3.0 (1.0-5.5) during DPHC. With MT, these values were, respectively, 0.0 (0.0-1.0) and 2.0 (0.5-4.0). Rates of FLACC scores of >4 during DPHC, which indicates severe pain, were 42% in standard conditions and 17% with MT (P = .013). Mixed-effects model analysis found smaller increases in FLACC scores (-0.54 [-1.08 to -0.01]; P = .04) and heart rate (-9.00; [-14.53; -3.40]; P = .001) with MT. CONCLUSIONS: MT is effective to improve analgesia in critically ill children exposed to DPHC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was recorded (April 16, 2019) before patient recruitment on the National Library of Medicine registry (NCT03916835; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03916835).

An Assessment of Personal Hygiene Practices Among Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional, Descriptive Study.

Background Personal Hygiene behavior and practices play a major role in health promotion and disease prevention. Socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychological factors sway a person's overall adaptation of good practices. Disease burden leading to loss of productivity and its influence on the economy cannot be overstated. As medical professionals come in contact with a large number of people, they carry the potential to be super-spreaders in disease outbreaks. Thus, it is of utmost importance that medics and paramedics maintain hygiene to the highest standards. Method This cross-sectional study comprised 323 young adult participants from Muslim Town, Faisalabad. A structured questionnaire containing close-ended questions was used for data collection regarding personal hygiene behavior and practices. Dependency between various qualitative categorical variables and hygiene practices was analyzed using Chi-squared tests. Results It was found that although the majority of the participants followed good hygiene for most of the practices; laziness, lack of relevant education, improper time management, and unreliable water supply posed a significant barrier to good practices. Females had demonstrably better practices compared to males. Urbanity did not have a significant correlation with the results.  Conclusion We conclude that a rigorous program of awareness and education regarding this subject is the need of the hour to facilitate an improvement in predictive and preventive health care and reduce morbidity and mortality. Steps should be taken to ease the barriers that are obstructing optimal hygienic practices.

Cuidar da higiene pessoal: um autocuidado do domínio de atenção de enfermagem de reabilitação / Caring for personal hygiene: a self-care of the rehabilitation nursing care domain

Enquadramento: O AVC é uma das causas de maior mortalidade e morbilidade, resultando em incapacidades para as atividades de vida diária. A independência funcional é um dos fatores de maior relevo para o indivíduo; assim, o foco deste trabalho é o de compreender os ganhos em saúde nos doentes com o diagnóstico de enfermagem cuidar da higiene pessoal comprometido, após a intervenção do Enfermeiro Especialista em Enfermagem de Reabilitação (EEER). A pergunta de partida, que constitui o fio condutor do presente projeto de investigação, é: "Que influência têm as intervenções do enfermeiro de reabilitação na independência funcional do doente com diagnóstico de enfermagem cuidar da higiene pessoal comprometido?". Objetivo: O presente estudo tem como objetivo geral identificar a influência dos cuidados de reabilitação na independência funcional do doente com o diagnóstico de enfermagem cuidar da higiene pessoal comprometido. Metodologia: O estudo insere-se no paradigma quantitativo de tipo descritivo - correlacional e longitudinal. A amostra (N=18) é não probabilística, do tipo acidental, e foi aplicada aos doentes acometidos com AVC e com diagnóstico de enfermagem cuidar da higiene pessoal comprometido que se encontravam internados na unidade de AVC num hospital da região norte de Portugal, e que foram alvo dos cuidados de enfermagem de reabilitação. Os dados foram recolhidos através do questionário sociodemográfico e clínico e do instrumento para a avaliação do nível de dependência funcional (Índice de Barthel). Resultados: Dos 18 doentes, constatou-se que, na admissão, 94.4% apresentavam dependência grave no autocuidado cuidar da higiene pessoal (score total). Na alta, 50.0% adquiriram estado de totalmente independência. Foram necessários 5 a 26 dias para a aquisição da independência. Conclusão: As intervenções do EEER nos doentes acometidos com AVC, com o diagnóstico de enfermagem de cuidar da higiene pessoal comprometido influenciam os ganhos em saúde, resultando numa diminuição da dependência funcional dos participantes, para o autocuidado cuidar da higiene pessoal.

Background: Stroke is one of the main causes of mortality and disability, in daily life activities. Functional independence is one of the most important factors for individuals; thus, the focus of this work is to understand health acquisitions in patients with the nursing diagnosis "compromised take care of personal hygiene", after the intervention of a rehabilitation nursing specialist. A question emerges, as a starting point which led to this research, is: "How influent is the role of rehabilitation nursing specialist in the functional independence in individuals with the nursing diagnosis "compromised take care of personal hygiene?". Goal: The general aim of this study is to identify the influence of rehabilitation care on the functional independence of patients with nursing diagnosis "compromised take care of personal hygiene". Methodology: This study is placed in a quantitative template, with descriptive study type ­ correlational and longitudinal. The sample (N=18) is non-probabilistic, of accidental tipology, and was performed using patients affected with stroke who had the nursing diagnosis "compromised take care of personal hygiene" admitted in the stroke unit in a hospital from the northern region of Portugal, who were having rehabilitation nursing health care. Data were collected using a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire and also using a specific tool to assess the level of functional dependence (Barthel Index). Results: Of the 18 patients, it was found that, upon admission, 94.4% had severe self-care dependence on personal hygiene (total score). At the high, 50.0% acquired a state of complete independence. It took 5 to 26 days for the acquisition of independence. Conclusion: The intervention of Rehabilitation Nursing Specialist in patients who suffered stroke with the nursing diagnosis "compromised taking care of personal hygiene" brings improvements to their health, such as a decrease in functional dependence for the self-care "take care of personal hygiene".

Perceived Use Cases, Barriers, and Requirements for a Smart Health-Tracking Toilet Seat: Qualitative Focus Group Study.

BACKGROUND: Smart bathroom technology offers unrivaled opportunities for the automated measurement of a range of biomarkers and other data. Unfortunately, efforts in this area are mostly driven by a technology push rather than market pull approach, which decreases the chances of successful adoption. As yet, little is known about the use cases, barriers, and desires that potential users of smart bathrooms perceive. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate how participants from the general population experience using a smart sensor-equipped toilet seat installed in their home. The study contributes to answering the following questions: What use cases do citizens see for this innovation? and What are the limitations and barriers to its everyday use that they see, including concerns regarding privacy, the lack of fit with everyday practices, and unmet expectations for user experience? METHODS: Overall, 31 participants from 30 households participated in a study consisting of 3 (partially overlapping) stages: sensitizing, in which participants filled out questionnaires to trigger their thoughts about smart bathroom use and personal health; provotyping, in which participants received a gentle provocation in the form of a smart toilet seat, which they used for 2 weeks; and discussion, in which participants took part in a web-based focus group session to discuss their experiences. RESULTS: Participants mostly found the everyday use of the toilet, including installation and dismantling when necessary, to be relatively easy and free of complications. Where complications occurred, participants mentioned issues related to the design of the prototype, technology, or mismatches with normal practices in using toilets and hygiene. A broad range of use cases were mentioned, ranging from signaling potentially detrimental health conditions or exacerbations of existing conditions to documenting physical data to measuring biomarkers to inform a diagnosis and behavioral change. Participants differed greatly in whether they let others use, or even know about, the seat. Ownership and control over their own data were essential for most participants. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that participants felt that a smart toilet seat could be acceptable and effective, as long as it fits everyday practices concerning toilet use and hygiene. The range of potential uses for a smart toilet seat is broad, as long as privacy and control over disclosure and data are warranted.

Personal hygiene, environmental conditions, and toilet use of children in primary schools: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Many primary school children withhold urine and stool whilst at school for various reasons. Limited toilet access and the failure to provide safe, sanitary toilets are putting children at risk for toilet avoidance behavior. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine personal hygiene, environmental conditions, the perception of these on children, and their toilet use in primary schools. STUDY DESIGN: Children aged 6-12 and their parents were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire regarding toilet behavior and the perception of school toilet standards. RESULTS: The main findings are listed below using the data from the questionnaire. DISCUSSION: We found that 9% and 63% of the children avoided urination and defecating at school, respectively. Similar results were reported previously. The participants' perceptions regarding the environmental conditions of school toilets and conditions revealed that 34% of the children felt that the toilets were dirty or very dirty. Around one-third of them reported a lack of toilet paper sometimes or most of the time. These unsatisfying hygienic conditions of school toilets can be easily solved. Unfortunately, 46% of the children in our study experienced bullying in school toilets. These worrisome data are seldom reported in other studies. The urination habits of the girls, who mostly preferred to partially squat or stand may lead to dysfunctional voiding and incomplete bladder emptying. Our study was limited by the relatively small population, the subjectiveness of the self-reporting questionnaire, and the voiding and defecation habits of the investigated children during school hours. These hours do not necessarily reflect the children's habits after school hours and during the weekends. Despite these limitations, the discussed issues regarding personal hygiene and the environmental conditions in the sampled primary schools are extremely important. CONCLUSION: Nearly half of the school children had negative perceptions of school toilets. This should raise awareness and concern for school staff to consider and investigate potential facilities improvement in light of the impact observed here. Implementation of appropriate education and a better environment of toilet facilities and security is important for the children's well-being.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Personal Hygiene Products: The Implications for Human Exposure and Emission to the Environment.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been related to reproductive toxicity in humans, but their occurrence in some specific personal hygiene products, i.e., sanitary pads, panty liners, tampons, paper diapers, menstrual cups, and bactericidal liquids, has not been extensively studied. This work investigated 31 representative PFAS in six categories of such personal hygiene products (n = 91). Perfluorinated carboxylic acids were the primary PFAS found in the samples, accounting for over 85% of the total concentrations of PFAS. Paper diapers contained the highest sum of PFAS concentrations (64.6 ng/g) followed by sanitary pads (52.3 ng/g) and menstrual cups (21.1 ng/g). The estimated exposure doses of perfluorooctanoic acid through dermal absorption from the use of menstrual cups and paper diapers for infants (adults) were 0.77 and 2.1 (1.2) ng/kg-bw/day, which contributed more than normal dust ingestion. The estimated emission of paper diapers and sanitary pads into the environment was 2.58 and 322 kg/year with an assumed leaching rate of 100%. The potential exposure of PFAS through the use of personal hygiene products observed in this work suggests a previously unreported exposure pathway of these chemicals to humans.

Banho sem enxágue em pacientes acamados: uma revisão sistemática sobre a eficácia e a segurança no procedimento / Rinse-free bath in bedridden patients: a systematic review on the efficacy and safety of the procedure

Introdução: O banho sem enxágue no leito está sendo utilizado em algumas instituições de saúde em substituição ao banho no leito convencional, porém, não existem evidências suficientes quanto à eficácia e à segurança desse procedimento. Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia e a segurança do banho sem enxágue em pacientes adultos e idosos que necessitam de cuidados no leito. Materiais e Métodos: Realizou-se uma revisão sistemática (RS), tendo como guia a declaração PRISMA. Três pesquisadores de forma independente e consensual fizeram as fases de seleção e extração dos dados. Os critérios de inclusão foram: ensaios clínicos controlados randomizados (ECCR) ou estudo quase experimentais (EQE), que avaliaram os desfechos segurança e eficácia do uso do banho sem enxágue. A busca aconteceu nas bases de dados MedLine/PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science e Scopus. Os termos usados nas buscas foram "banhos", "assistência ao paciente", "produtos de higiene pessoal". Por fim, avaliou-se do risco de viés dos estudos pelas ferramentas ROB 2 e Robins-I. Resultados: Foram incluídos quatro estudos ECCR e dois EQE. Três foram classificados como alto risco de viés ou algumas preocupações. Dois artigos avaliaram a colonização da pele e um estudo avaliou a integridade da pele. Verificou-se uma redução da microbiota e das lesões na pele no grupo do banho sem enxágue. A maioria dos estudos (três) não mostrou a diferença no custo entre o banho sem enxágue e o banho seco, no entanto, verificou-se o menor tempo de trabalho dos profissionais de Enfermagem. Conclusão: O emprego do banho sem enxágue mostrou-se eficaz em relação à redução da microbiota da pele, redução dos custos das horas de Enfermagem maior satisfação para os pacientes e profissionais. Quanto à segurança, um estudo se mostrou favorável ao banho de enxágue em relação ao banho convencional. É necessário interpretar os resultados com cautela, com base na qualidade metodológica de alguns estudos analisados.

Introduction: Rinse-free bed bathing is being used in some healthcare institutions as a substitute for conventional bed bathing, but there is insufficient evidence as to the efficacy and safety of this procedure. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rinse-free bathing in adult and elderly patients who require bedside care. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was carried out using the PRISMA statement as a guide. Three researchers independently and consensually carried out the data selection and extraction phases. The inclusion criteria were: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials (RCTs) or Quasi-Experimental Studies (QESs), which evaluated the safety and efficacy outcomes of using baths without rinsing. The search took place in the MedLine/PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The terms used in the searches were "baths", "patient care" and "personal hygiene products". Finally, the risk of bias in the studies was assessed using the ROB 2 and Robins-I tools. Results: Four RCTs and two QES studies were included. Three were classified as high risk of bias or some concern. Two articles assessed skin colonization and one study assessed skin integrity. There was a reduction in microbiota and skin lesions in the rinse-free bathing group. Most of the studies (three) did not show a difference in cost between rinse-free bathing and dry bathing; however, there was less time spent by nursing professionals. Conclusion: The use of rinse-free bathing proved to be effective in terms of reducing skin microbiota, reducing the cost of nursing hours, and increasing patient and professional satisfaction. In terms of safety, one study was in favor of rinse-off bathing over conventional bathing. The findings should be interpreted with caution, based on the methodological quality of some of the studies analyzed.

Antimicrobial Profiles and Conventional PCR Assay of Shiga Toxigenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC) Isolated from Cattle Slaughtered at Bedele Municipal Abattoir, South West Ethiopia.

Background: Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC) is considered the most prevalent food borne pathogen that has gained increasing attention worldwide in recent years. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Bedele Municipal abattoir on cattle that were reported healthy from detailed ante-mortem inspections and having various body conditions scores. A total of 516 samples were collected and examined after enriched in modified peptone water. Following an enrichment, the samples were plated onto MacConkey agar and then onto Eosin methylene blue agar. Finally after a few similar procedures, 14 E. coli O157:H7 (STEC) isolates were confirmed through latex agglutination test. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 statistical software. Results: This study finding revealed that the overall prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 out of 516 samples was found to be 2.7%. However, on sample type basis, the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 from feacal samples, carcass swabs, butcher hand swabs and knife swabs were 4.7%, 3.3%, 1.1% and 1.1%, respectively. It was also found that that the prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 was significantly affected by age groups of slaughtered cattle (p<0.05). Moreover, in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility test result on average showed that almost all of E. coli O157:H7 isolates were highly susceptible to kanamycin and no resistance was shown to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin. Finally, the conventional PCR detection of stx1, st2 and hylA genes revealed that only 21.4% and 14.3% were found to contain stx1 and hylA genes respectively. Conclusion: To wrap up, this study showed that Shiga toxin producing E. coli O157:H7 (STEC) isolates were found with almost low overall prevalence rate from all sample sources in this study site. Therefore, improving abattoir facilities and slaughter house workers' personal hygiene are recommended to curtail E. coli O157:H7 meat contamination in this abattoir.

Barriers and facilitators to delivering everyday personal hygiene care in residential settings: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Globally, the population is ageing, and more people live in residential care. Best practice in personal hygiene care may reduce distressing and debilitating skin and oral problems and improve resident outcomes. Although there is guidance on personal hygiene care, implementation may be a challenge. AIM: To identify barriers and facilitators to delivering personal hygiene care for older persons in residential care settings. METHODS: Systematic review reported according to PRISMA 2020 guidance. Databases MEDLINE, CIHAHL and PsychINFO were systematically searched using terms and synonyms 'barriers', 'facilitators', 'hygiene', 'older adults' and 'residential care'. Only empirical studies, reporting everyday skin and oral care, in English, peer reviewed and published from 2000 to 2021 were included. Due to methodological heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis was conducted. RESULTS: Sixteen papers yielded nine categories of barrier or facilitator. Five related to skin and oral care: (i) knowledge, (ii) skills relating to hygiene care, (iii) skills relating to supporting 'uncooperative' behaviours, (iv) lack of resources and (v) time, workload and staffing levels. The remainder related only to oral care: (vi) resident, family or carer motivation, (vii) dislike of hygiene care, (viii) carer attitudes and beliefs and (ix) social influences and communication. Six papers reported interventions to optimise care. CONCLUSION: This review highlights the persistent dearth of research into everyday personal hygiene practices, in particular skin hygiene in residential care. Existing literature identifies a range of barriers; however, there is a mismatch between these and reported interventions to improve practice. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Advances in implementation science to support optimal care have yet to be applied to interventions to support hygiene practices in care homes and it is imperative this is addressed. Future interventions should involve: (i) systematically and theoretically assessing barriers, (ii) application of tailored behaviour change techniques (iii) using these co-design pragmatic, locally acceptable strategies.

Does Laterality Matter? The Effect of Unilateral v. Bilateral Sacroiliac Screw Fixation on Personal Hygiene.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective comparative analysis of prospective cohort. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether sacroiliac (SI) screw fixation ipsilateral to hand dominance compared to bilateral fixation impacts personal hygiene (wiping) after toileting. METHODS: Inclusion criteria were adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients with long arthrodesis (≥T12-pelvis) who had undergone primary unilateral or bilateral SI fixation with a minimum of 2-years-follow-up. RESULTS: 117 consecutive patients were included and separated into 2 groups: bilateral SI fixation (BL, n = 61) and unilateral SI fixation (UNI, n = 56), with no difference in age. Of UNI patients, 10.7% (6) performed personal hygiene with a different hand after surgery, compared to 6.6% (4) of patients who received BL fixation (P = 0.422). All UNI patients who switched hands were right-hand dominant, and 5/6 received right-sided fixation. There was no statistical difference found between number of levels fused (<8, 9-11, or >11 levels) and changes in personal hygiene habits. Over a third of patients from both groups had difficulty performing personal hygiene after fusion (UNI = 39.3% BL = 36.1%, P = 0.719). CONCLUSION: SI screws increase the difficulty of performing personal hygiene; yet, the side of unilateral screws does not significantly change personal hygiene habits when compared to bilateral screw placement. Moreover, the length of the construct does not have a significant impact on ability to perform personal hygiene, cause changes in habits, or require the assistance of another individual. However, among our sample of individuals, bilateral fixation did result in a higher rate of revision instrumentation.

Digital and physical factors influencing an individual's preventive behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan: A perspective based on the S-O-R model.

COVID-19 has caused considerable stress to individuals and communities. Daily press briefings on public health during the COVID-19 pandemic have increased individuals' feelings of social pressure. Abrupt changes to a person's immediate environment, such as the changes caused by COVID-19, can substantially affect their mental health and cognitive adjustment. On the basis of the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, we examined the effects of digital and physical stimuli related to COVID-19 in Taiwan on individuals' psychological states and preventive behavior, including social distancing and personal hygiene. The data obtained from 498 valid survey questionnaires indicated that digital and physical factors including informativeness, social pressure, and severity exerted direct effects on cognitive assimilation and anxiety, which in turn affected individuals' preventive behavior. Moreover, cognitive assimilation and anxiety had significant mediating effects on the relationships of informativeness, social pressure, and severity with individuals' preventive behavior. The results of this study indicate how digital and physical stimulus factors affect cognitive assimilation and anxiety, which influence preventive behavior during a pandemic.

Personal hygiene in individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia: the role of gender, clinical characteristics, and the body self. / Higiena osobista u osób z diagnoza schizofrenii: znaczenie plci, charakterystyk klinicznych oraz Ja cielesnego.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to examine whether individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia differ in personal hygiene (PH) from controls and to assess the importance of gender, clinical characteristics, and body self (body experience and body image) for PH. METHODS: Eighty-two subjects with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in stable mental state and 82 control subjects were studied. All subjects completed the Personal Hygiene Scale (PHS), the Body Self Questionnaire, and answered the questions in Cenestopathy Interview. To confirm the validity of patients' replies, PHS was also completed by medical staff. RESULTS: Subjective assessment of PH correlated with ratings made by medical personnel. The patient group subjects rated their PH worse than controls. Men rated their PH worse than women. In the case of male patients, hygienic deficits were associated with numerous disturbances in body experience (cenestopathy, disturbances in interpreting and regulating body states, and disturbances in body identity) while in the case of women with schizophrenia they were related only to difficulties in interpreting and regulating body states and negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in a stable mental state manifest deficits in personal hygiene that are related not so much to negative body image as to a disturbed body experience. The determinants of hygiene deficits in schizophrenia are gender-dependent. The study did not include individuals with severe illness, which helps to understand the lack of correlation between negative symptoms of schizophrenia and PH in the male study group.

Knowledge of Personal Hygiene Among Street Food Vendors and Canteen Food Handlers in Kano: A Mixed Methods Study.

Background: The burden of food-borne diseases is becoming a global problem. The aim of this study was to assess and compare personal hygiene knowledge among street food vendors and canteen food handlers in the Kano metropolis. Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was carried out using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, focus group discussion guide and observation checklist, to assess and compare personal hygiene knowledge among street food vendors and canteen food handlers in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. Quantitative data was analyzed at univariate, bivariate and multivariate levels using SPSS version 20.0 at a 5% α level of significance. Thematic analysis was used to analyze verbatim transcripts from qualitative interviews. Results: The response rates were 305/310 (98.4%) and 288/310 (92.9%) among street food vendors and canteen food handlers, respectively. The proportions of street food vendors and canteen food handlers with poor, fair and good knowledge of personal hygiene were (29.5% versus 19.8%), (51.8% versus 54.2%) and (18.7% versus 26.0%), respectively (p=0.009). There was a statistically significant association between education and knowledge of personal hygiene among street food vendors (p=0.03) and canteen food handlers (p=0.04). Though slightly better among canteen food handlers, narratives by the two groups of food handlers pointed to the general lack of awareness of basic personal hygiene which was supported by the findings from observation. Conclusion: Personal hygiene knowledge was poor among the two groups of food handlers; therefore, the Government should ensure legislation and enforcement involving training of food vendors, periodic medical examination, and issuance of fitness certificate to all food vendors.

Explicating gender disparity in wearing face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The available evidence suggests that women were more likely to wear face masks as a precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies have explicated this gender disparity in wearing face masks. This study investigates associations of demographic factors with wearing face masks in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic, then explicates gender disparity in wearing face masks from the lens of the Protection Motivation Theory. METHODS: The first part of this study employed a structured online survey of 708 Malaysian adult participants. Data collected were quantitatively analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple linear regression. The second part of this study was conducted among 28 women to better understand gender disparity in protection motivations from the perspectives of women. RESULTS: Gender has the strongest positive association with wearing face masks (p-value < .001), followed by age (p-value = .028). The Protection Motivation Theory adequately explicated the gender disparity in wearing face masks. Additionally, women were motivated to wear face masks beyond protection from the SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSION: Understanding the underlying motivations for wearing face masks informs design of gender-based public health messages to increase compliance with public health regulations and reduce morbidity and mortality for present and future public health crises.