How dirty is Money and Does Money spread contagious diseases?

how dirty is money and does money spread contagious diseases

Rats, mice, flies, cockroaches, these are just things you can run into at almost any restaurant at one time or another. Every time you go out, you’re exposing yourself to something. In fact, those dollar bills in your wallet, the ones you plan to spend for the taxi ride downtown before you even do anything, … Read more

What infectious diseases can you get when riding the Subway or Bus?

what infectious diseases can you get when riding the subway or bus

A lot of people worry about “picking up something” while they’re using public transportation. In New York City, the most feared location for mysophobes is undoubtedly the subway. Everyone squashed together, sneezing, coughing, wiping their noses, and then grabbing those poles to keep from falling over every time the train stops, starts, or lurches. The … Read more

How safe is the food at a fancy Restaurant?

how safe is the food at a fancy restaurant

You’re relaxed, sipping your wine, waiting for your appetizer, looking forward to a nice quiet dinner: broiled lamb chops provençal, your favorite. The people at the next table have just left, and their dirty dishes are being collected by the busboy, who was rubbing his cheek, or was it his nose?, on his way over … Read more

How common is Rabies and Which animals carry the Rabies virus?

how common is rabies and which animals carry the rabies virus

Everyone’s afraid of rabies, but almost no one in the United States ever gets it. Even a hundred years ago, it was very rare, about 100 people a year got it in the early twentieth century, and today, thanks to widespread vaccination of domestic animals, the average yearly number of human cases is 2 or … Read more

What types of Germs and Diseases can you catch in Public Toilets?

what types of germs and diseases can you catch in public toilets

There are lots of rumors and frightening stories that go around, but some of them just aren’t true. You can’t get syphilis from a toilet seat, no matter what you may have heard, and HIV is not transmitted by contact with environmental surfaces in public bathrooms. You can’t get herpes from contact with toilet seats, … Read more

What are Arboviruses and Where do Arboviruses come from?

what are arboviruses and where do arboviruses come from

The group of viruses that are transmitted by insects are called (and this is not a technical term) “arboviruses.” The term is a coinage based on “ARthropod BOrne Virus.” West Nile, transmitted by a mosquito, is one of these. There are several other viruses transmitted by insects to humans, all of them quite rare in … Read more

Where does Chlamydia psittaci come from and How do birds spread Avian chlamydiosis?

where does chlamydia psittaci come from and how do birds spread avian chlamydiosis scaled

You may remember Chlamydia trachomatis, it’s the bacterium that causes the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, chlamydia. A closely related species, Chlamydia psittaci, infects pet birds (and more rarely certain wild birds as well) and can be transmitted to humans, who can get flu-like symptoms from it, and sometimes more serious … Read more

What bacterial infections are resistant to antibiotics and Why?

what bacterial infections are resistant to antibiotics and why

While resistant strains of the potentially deadly S. aureus bacterium have been known for some years to occur in hospitals, it is only recently that these strains have made their way into the community at large. In 1997, a seven-year-old girl from an urban area of Minnesota was admitted to a hospital with a temperature … Read more

How are most Diseases spread at Day Care Centers?

how are most diseases spread at day care centers

Shigellosis is another disease kids risk contracting in day care centers and passing on to their families. In 1991 there was an outbreak of Shigella sonnei infection in Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky, that involved 14 licensed day care centers, making a lot of people sick but, every cloud has a silver lining, giving researchers a chance … Read more

How safe is Vaccination and What were the side effects of the Rotavirus Vaccine?

how safe is vaccination and what were the side effects of the rotavirus vaccine

The Internet can be a significant source of misinformation about vaccines. There are numerous sites that gather scare stories about vaccination based on little more than anecdotal reports from parents, and many chat rooms discussing vaccination in hysterical voices and without benefit of scientific information. This doesn’t mean that vaccines are without dangers, there are … Read more

How do Vaccines help prevent the spread of Infectious Diseases?

how do vaccines help prevent the spread of infectious diseases

Viruses are parasitic. They can only live and reproduce inside the cells of other animals or plants, in scientific terms, they are called obligate survive in one environment (if a germ can survive in more than one environment, it is called facultative); they are intracellular because they must live inside cells; they are molecular parasites … Read more

Where does Syphilis come from and How does Syphilis spread?

where does syphilis come from and how does syphilis spread

The Italians call it the French disease; the French call it the English disease. Russians blamed the Poles, the Poles blamed the Germans. At least since the sixteenth century, Europeans have been blaming each other, if it isn’t English, French, Polish, Russian, or German, then it’s Venetian or Neapolitan. Some believe Columbus brought it back … Read more

What is the Most Common STD and Where does Chlamydia come from?

what is the most common std and where does chlamydia come from

Chlamydia is probably the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, even more common than herpes-2. There were more than 640,000 new cases of chlamydia reported in 2000 and more than 290,000 through the first six months of 2001. Since all diseases are underreported, and since most people with chlamydia are not even … Read more

How common are STDs and How are STIs prevented and treated?

how common are stds and how are stis prevented and treated

You may think that sexually transmitted infections are someone else’s problem, but in fact 55 million Americans have at least one sexually transmitted disease (STD). More than 45 million Americans have HSV-2, the sexually transmitted form of the herpes simplex virus, and a million more get it every year. There’s no cure for it. Two … Read more

Where does Listeria Bacteria come from and How is Listeriosis prevented?

where does listeria bacteria come from and how is listeriosis prevented

In the late summer and fall of 1998 Listeria monocytogenes, a gram-positive bacterium that lives everywhere in the world except Antarctica, caused about 40 illnesses in ten different U.S. states. The CDC in cooperation with state health departments in Connecticut, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee determined that all these cases came from a single strain … Read more

What causes Trichomoniasis and How is a Trichomoniasis infection treated?

what causes trichomoniasis and how is a trichomoniasis infection treated

Syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, papillomavirus, chlamydia, you’d think that would be enough bacteria and viruses to worry about, especially at a moment when you’re preoccupied with something more pressing. But there’s more. The cause of trichomoniasis is neither a bacterium nor a virus. It’s the cause of a microscopic parasite, a protozoan called Trichomonis vaginalis that … Read more

Why do Kids pick up so many Germs, Microbes, Bacteria, and Viruses?

why do kids pick up so many germs microbes bacteria and viruses

Kids are unquestionably messy, and the younger they are the messier they seem to be. Growing up involves an incessant series of encounters with germs of all kinds. Babies begin by fouling themselves with germ-laden feces, then as soon as they’re able to they start putting everything they can lift into their mouths. Next they … Read more

Are Antibiotics really necessary for children with Ear Infections?

are antibiotics really necessary for children with ear infections

Children in day care probably get more antibiotics prescribed for them than children who stay at home. A May 2001 Danish study followed children from birth in 1997 to the age of two years and found that enrollment in a day care center doubled a child’s likelihood of being prescribed an antibiotic. Whether this is … Read more

Where does Campylobacter bacteria come from and How do Campylobacter infections spread?

where does campylobacter bacteria come from and how do campylobacter infections spread

Since 1989, when it surpassed the number of outbreaks caused by salmonella, Campylobacter has been the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in the United States. An estimated 2.4 million people get infected with it every year. It’s a gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, and there are three species of it that cause human disease. C. coli … Read more

Where does E. coli come from and How does E. coli bacteria spread?

where does e coli come from and how does e coli bacteria spread

More common than C. botulinum, and perhaps as notorious, is the bacterium Escherichia coli. There are hundreds of different serotypes of this gram-negative bacterium, any one of which can cause disease, and many of them are part of the normal bacterial fauna of the intestines. They can get into other parts of the body and … Read more

How many different types of Germs, Bacteria, and Viruses live on a Toothbrush?

how many different types of germs bacteria and viruses live on a toothbrush

Shocking but true: your toothbrush is dirtier than your toilet seat. It is hard to predict exactly which germs are on your toothbrush right now, but staphylococci, coliforms, pseudomonads, streptococci, and at least one fungus, candida, have all been cultured from used toothbrushes. In one Australian study, staphylococci and streptococci were the most commonly found … Read more

Where does Salmonella come from and How does Salmonella Bacteria spread?

where does salmonella come from and how does salmonella bacteria spread

In 1999, the CDC tracked nine different food-borne illnesses caused by bacteria, and confirmed by laboratory analysis 10,697 cases. Salmonella infection accounted for 4,533 of these, a little more than 42 percent. Salmonellosis is actually caused by a group of bacteria. The most common serotypes in the United States are called Salmonella enteriditis and Salmonella … Read more

How do Antimicrobial clothes, toys, and soap help prevent the spread of disease?

how do antimicrobial clothes toys and soap help prevent the spread of disease scaled

Many consumer products are advertised as having been treated with antimicrobial chemicals. These include not only clothing, but pens, cutting boards, toys, household cleaners, hand lotions, cat litter, soap, cotton swabs, toothbrushes, and various cosmetics. There are children’s pajamas, mattresses, and bed linens for sale that make such claims. The CDC is unequivocal about the … Read more

Where does Shigella Bacteria come from and How are Shigella infections treated?

where does shigella bacteria come from and how are shigella infections treated

Bacteriologists are quite proud when their name becomes attached to a disease causing organism. This is not true of other people, American Legion members are not at all happy about having Legionnaire’s disease named after them, and homeowners and real estate agents in Lyme, Connecticut, could have done without having their city’s name permanently attached … Read more

How many people don’t wash their hands after using the toilet?

how many people dont wash their hands after using the toilet

John Lynn, of Austin, Texas, thinks people don’t wash their hands often enough, and he thinks it’s about time someone did something about it. According to Patent Number 6,147,607, Mr. Lynn has designed a way of preventing people from slipping away from the bathroom without washing. He proposes a mechanism attached to a toilet handle … Read more

Can you be hospitalized for OCD?

can you be hospitalized for ocd

Yes, it is possible to be hospitalized for OCD. This can occur for several reasons. First, it may be a way to help stabilize someone whose rituals have become so problematic that all he or she does all day long is perform rituals. Often in these cases family members will bring someone in to a … Read more

How are OCD and pyromania related to each other?

how are ocd and pyromania related to each other

Pyromania is, according to the DSM-IV-TR (2000), “deliberate and purposeful fire setting on more than one occasion.” Prior to the act of fire setting, there is an increase in tension, and there is a long-held fascination with fire. Once the fire is set, there is a sense of relief or joy. Fires set by people … Read more

Do people with OCD fear body fluids?

do people with ocd fear body fluids

Many people with OCD fear bodily fluids, it is a very prevalent obsession in OCD, and it can have a major effect on them and on their personal relationships. This fear can affect people with OCD in several ways. First, they may fear saliva because it can carry germs from the mouth, or they may … Read more

When was OCD first discovered and Is OCD a new disorder?

when was ocd first discovered and is ocd a new disorder

OCD is not a new disorder. In fact, OCD has been written about for centuries, as far back as the sixth century. According to Ian Osborn in his book Tormenting Thoughts and Secret Rituals (1999), there are numerous references to what we now call OCD in early religious and Greek writings. Many of the early … Read more

What is Ecumenism and What Does Ecumenism Mean in the Catholic Church?

what is ecumenism and what does ecumenism mean in the catholic church

Ecumenism is the effort of the Church to build bridges of dialogue between other religions and itself. It is not a plan to establish a single, lowest-common-denominator religion where doctrines and disciplines are diluted and compromised so that anyone and everyone can fit in. Ecumenism acknowledges the historical realities of mistakes and abuses made by … Read more

Is the Catholic Church a monarchy or a democracy?

is the catholic church a monarchy or a democracy

It is neither. The Catholic Church is not a democracy nor a republic since it was not founded by human beings like secular nations are. It was founded by Jesus Christ, who personally entrusted the fullness of His authority to Saint Peter and his successors. Christ also commissioned the apostles to help govern the local … Read more

What are the catacombs and Where are the Catacombs located?

what are the catacombs and where are the catacombs located

The term “catacombs” refers to subterranean burial grounds. They can be found almost anywhere; however, the most famous catacombs are located in Rome. They date back to the early Church. Most of the catacombs of Rome are technically located outside the walls of the city on Via Appia Antica, a major road that leads from … Read more

What are stipends and stole fees and What is simony?

what are stipends and stole fees and what is simony

Masses and the Seven Sacraments cannot be sold, nor can the minister charge for celebrating them. That would be the sin of simony. Simony is the sin where someone demands payment for a religious service or tries to sell spiritual benefits, graces, blessings, or sacraments. Stipends are donations given by the faithful to the priest … Read more

What was the Reformation and When did the Reformation take place?

what was the reformation and when did the reformation take place

The Protestant Reformation took place in 1517 AD. Until then, there had been only one Christian church and religion in Western Europe and that was Roman Catholicism. Eastern Orthodoxy had split from Rome in 1054 AD but remained in the Eastern part of the Empire, called Byzantium. England, Scotland, Germany, and Switzerland were all Catholic … Read more

Why did Thomas Aquinas write “Summa Theologica”?

why did thomas aquinas write summa theologica

Saint Thomas Aquinas was a priest and doctor of theology who belonged to the Order of Preachers, known as Dominicans. As a youth he studied in Paris under the great theologian Albertus Magnus and, because of his size and shyness, was mislabeled by his peers as the “Dumb Ox.” Albertus Magnus saw much more depth … Read more

How did the Black Death affect the Catholic Church?

how did the black death affect the catholic church

The Black Death was damaging both to the Church and to society. The Black Death was a plague that spread like wild fire through villages, towns, and entire countries throughout Europe. The primary manner of dispersal was from infected animals to human beings by means of flies. The unsanitary conditions of towns made these areas … Read more

What is the Catholic fascination with Church Bells about?

what is the catholic fascination with church bells about

You can hear bells ringing inside and outside Catholic churches around the world. Since the sixth century AD, outdoor bells have been used to call the monks of a monastery or the people of a parish or cathedral to times of prayer. Traditionally, every three hours beginning at 6 a.m., bells would alert clergy, religious, … Read more

When does stealing become a mortal sin?

when does stealing become a mortal sin

Stealing violates the seventh Commandment. There is no specific price range at which theft goes from being a venial sin to a mortal sin. Civil law makes arbitrary parameters to delineate misdemeanor theft from felony theft. Moral theology does not assign a particular monetary value. It is based on the condition of the person who … Read more

Where Did the Holy Days of Obligation Come From?

where did the holy days of obligation come from

Saturday is the Sabbath, but Sunday is the day of the Lord (the day of Resurrection), and Christians worshiped Christ as the Son of God on Sunday from the very beginning, even when they were still part of the Jewish religion. But where did the other days come from? Christianity was born from Judaism and … Read more

Should Christians use the word Trespasses or Debts in the Lord’s Prayer?

should christians use the word trespasses or debts in the lords prayer scaled

Some Christians pray the Lord’s Prayer using the word “trespasses,” while others use the words “debts” or “sins.” The Greek word paraoptomata means “trespasses,” while opheilemata means “debts” and hamartias means “sins.” Matthew and Luke both use any one of those words in various manuscripts. The more important word in the prayer is aphiemi which … Read more

Why are there 2 Different Lists of Ten Commandments?

why are there 2 different lists of ten commandments

Did you know that if asked what the Fourth Commandment is, a Catholic will answer differently than a Protestant (except for Lutheran)? Yes, there is a different numbering system for the Ten Commandments depending on who did the counting. The Bible itself never numbers the Commandments. There were not even any chapter or verse numbers … Read more

Can deacons or nuns say Mass when there is no priest?

can deacons or nuns say mass when there is no priest

Only a validly ordained priest can offer up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. At every Mass, it is Jesus Who is both priest and victim. Since there is no time in God and He is an eternal “now,” Calvary is brought to us through the centuries. Jesus perpetuates His sacrifice through the sacramental priesthood. … Read more

How many different types of scapulars are there and What does scapular mean?

how many different types of scapulars are there and what does scapular mean

The scapular was originally a garment that went over the shoulders and covered the wearer on both sides. The word is from the Latin, scapula, which means shoulder blades. Many different religious communities, both male and female, wear these outer garments, which are considered part of their religious habit. In the thirteenth century, lay people … Read more