Germs Getting Harder to Kill

Not so long ago, just 1 minute in the microwave was enough to kill germs on kitchen sponges and scrubbers, eliminating the threat of foodborne illnesses. Now, researchers say we need to zap 'em for 2 to 4 minutes.

2 minutes in the microwave sterilizes sponges, scrub pads: study

"People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave," lead researcher Gabriel Bitton, a University of Florida professor of environmental engineering, said in a release.

Bitton soaked sponges in wastewater containing fecal bacteria, viruses, protozoan parasites and bacterial spores. Researchers found that putting the sponges in the microwave for two minutes on full power killed more than 99 per cent of the living pathogens on the sponges.

The more resilient Bacillus cereus spores, which can cause diarrhea, needed to be zapped for four minutes to be killed.

Good to know.





Here's a very quick, totally incomplete sampling of ATS articles about mutating germs:

To Acinetobacter Baumannii, War is Anything But Hell...

The Perfect Microbial Storm

Superbug "MRSA" Now Transmitted Sexually

Pandemic Watch 2007






[edit on 24-1-2007 by soficrow]