Flip-flops are a magnet for dangerous, deadly bacteria (NYDaily)

[Drew Wilson]

The flip-flop is the preferred summer shoe for many New Yorkers. But on city streets, the flimsy footwear can be deadly.

That film of grime that coats your feet at the end of a day of flopping around town is some dangerous dirt.

Lab tests of two reporters' flip-flops, worn for four days, revealed a potentially deadly germ - Staphylococcus aureus - lurking on the rubber.

If it seeps into a cut on your foot - an entirely common summer affliction - the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and, if left untreated, kill you.

More...

How nice of them to issue this report at the end of Summer.:cussing:

[fleecy]

s. aureus can be found just about anywhere. so can many other forms of staph. more scaremongering.

[rainbowdemon]

s. aureus can be found just about anywhere. so can many other forms of staph. more scaremongering.

Yup!!



Just more germophobia.

[mfgbypooter]

After 4 days lab tests confirm something lurking on the rubber.

Wow.

*

[mountain_rage]

If people were smart they would start to breed and spread the non harmful bacteria into society and choke out the dangerous ones. Still don't know how I haven't heard of this taking place in hospitals. They seem to think that curing the problem of over sanitizing will be cured with even stronger sensitization.

[Signa]

That doesn't sound like a good plan MR. Bacteria of any hazard level has the potential to mutate, and suddenly go form benign to malicious.

[mountain_rage]

That doesn't sound like a good plan MR. Bacteria of any hazard level has the potential to mutate, and suddenly go form benign to malicious.

Possibly, I'm not biologist but I have to assume certain bacteria is far less likely to mutate, or likely mutate into another harmless form. If scientist could develop a method to produce a controlled bacteria in large quantities it could at least be an interesting case study. Sure they wouldn't be able to fully control the bacteria, but it can't be much worse than what they do presently.

Edit: Decided to google it, apparently studies are starting to look into the possibility
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/128450.php

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-94822024.html

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200804043

[fleecy]

actually, i've been maintaining a culture of staphylococcus saprophyticus since last sept. at school. i obtained it simply by leaving an agar plate next to an open window in the class. another classmate got the same strain from swabbing the table top. none of us are sick or dead yet :veryhappy:

lol the s. saprophyticus was even my avatar for a while :05:

[MoonMan]

I'm pretty sure that bacteria is also on our bodies, with special attention being paid to the mouth and other cavities of the body exposed to the outside world. They are EVERYWHERE.

You cannot escape bacteria. Except through death, and even then your body will just be consumed by it.

[fleecy]

yup, and that doesn't even include the beneficial bacteria that lives inside us. antibacterial doesn't always equate good for you.