Failure to Wash Your Hands is Worse Than Eating Raw Meat

Have you ever heard a flush from a bathroom stall, then watched as its occupant opened the stall door and proceeded to walk right out of the restroom, without stopping at the sink? Hopefully, this isn’t a habit you frequent yourself, because skipping a post-bowel movement hand lather can have some seriously disgusting consequences. Just ask the researchers who conducted a recent study, published in The Lancet Infectious Disease Journal. They discovered that if you fail to wash your hands after using the bathroom, you’re more likely to spread drug-resistant E. coli bacteria, than if you consumed raw meat.

University of East Anglia Professor David Livermore and his colleagues in the UK examined samples of beef, pork, and chicken, then compared them to samples of human feces, blood and sewerage. They found similar strains between human samples, but the strains differed from those found in animals. Researchers say this suggests that E. coli is being spread primarily through humans.

The likeliest method of spreading E. coli bacteria, which is potentially fatal, is through human poop particles, which most often spread through poor bathroom hygiene. Livermore explained, “… The likeliest route of transmission for ESBL-E.coli is directly from human to human, with fecal particles from one person reaching the mouth of another.”

Even if you think you don’t need it, you’re probably due for a refresher when it comes to the art of proper handwashing. Simply rinsing your hands with water, or giving a quick scrub with soap, is probably not enough. Here’s how to wash your hands properly, to avoid spreading harmful bacteria:

Use warm, running water and mild soap (avoid antibacterial soap)
Work up a good lather, all the way up to your wrists, scrubbing for at least 15 or 20 seconds (most people only wash for about 6 seconds)
Make sure you cover all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers, and around and below your fingernails
Rinse thoroughly under running water
In public places, use a paper towel to open the door as a protection from germs that the handles may harbor