Posted on 03/04/2003 12:11:41 PM PST by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
The necessity of wearing shoes in the shower is often considered one of the more annoying quirks of dorm life.
With several dozen people using the same shower, students may worry about the risk of contracting an infection such as athlete's foot from the floor.
Both Sara Kornstein (freshman-elementary education) and Melissa Surovec (freshman-elementary education) wear shower shoes to protect their feet from infection.
"Everyone [wears shower shoes]," Kornstein said. "You don't want to get any diseases."
Athlete's foot is the infection a person would most likely contract from a dormitory shower, said Edward Rosick, university physician, adding that the risk of getting other infections besides athlete's foot from a dormitory shower is very low.
A type of fungus called tinea causes Athlete's foot. The fungus makes fairly superficial skin infections, said David Geiser, associate professor of plant pathology.
"Fungal infections are different [from bacterial ones] because they are generally not passed on directly by person-to-person contact," he said. Instead, they are passed on when people come in contact with areas in which fungi thrive, like locker room and shower floors.
The main symptoms of athlete's foot include itching, scaling, and bleeding, Rosick said.
"If the showers have been cleaned well, you should be okay," Rosick said in regard to the risk of contracting athlete's foot from a dormitory shower.
This does not mean showers are guaranteed to be fungi-free.
"There is a chance that if someone with athlete's foot takes a shower right before you, you could pick it up," he said.
In general, thorough cleaning of shower facilities is effective at reducing the risk of fungal infections, Geiser said.
The quality of cleaning is very important in reducing the risk of infection, he said.
"If cleaning just means rinsing with water, that's probably not going to be very effective," he said.
A potent disinfecting product, especially one that contains bleach, would be most effective in preventing the growth of fungi that cause athlete's foot, he said.
"Regular cleaning is the way to keep the problem from getting out of hand," he said.
The bathrooms in Penn State dorms are cleaned seven days a week, said Sandy Harpster, senior associate director of housing.
Housekeepers at Penn State use Fullpower, a strong cleaning product intended for areas such as dorm showers, said Stephanie Turnbaugh, a Penn State housekeeper.
Fullpower does not contain bleach, she added.
For those who do contract athlete's foot, it can generally be treated using over-the-counter products, Rosick said. In some cases, however, prescription drugs may be necessary to control the problem.
Hey, it beats posting lyrics from Sonny and Cher songs.
With the myriad health care maladies that demand our full attention as they compete for Nanny State dollars, we sometimes need a reminder to take care of basic fundamentals.
Chicken shoes for the sole.
As long as the 'Rats continue to filibuster the Estrada nomination, I think it's an excellent opportunity for Senator Frist to introduce The Athlete's Foot Equity and Fair Compensation Adjustment Act of 2003.
After all, he IS a physician.
I DEMAND ACTION on this issue!!!
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