Did You Know?

How many cases of foodborne disease are there in the United States?

An estimated 76 million cases of foodborne disease occur each year in the United States. The great majority of these cases are mild and cause symptoms for only a day or two. Some cases are more serious, and CDC estimates that there are 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths related to foodborne diseases each year. The most severe cases tend to occur in the very old, the very young, those who have an illness already that reduces their immune system function, and in healthy people exposed to a very high dose of an organism.

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Germiest Jobs

By Dr. Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D.

The most bacteria per square inch was found on surfaces commonly used by school teachers. This may be due to constant teacher contact with children or children’s interaction with surrounding surfaces.

Surfaces regularly used by teachers had ten times more bacteria per square inch when compared to other professions. Bankers were 2nd in the amount of surface bacteria found, with accountants 3rd. Lawyers were found to have the least amount of bacteria per square inch.

The amount of bacteria or germs found on each surface is thought to be directly related to item usage and cleaning practices. Occupation averages consisted of the phone, desk and computer mouse.

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About Dr. Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D.

Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized environmental microbiologist and Professor of Environmental Microbiology in the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Soil, Water and Environmental Science, at the University of Arizona. His credentials include a B.A. in Microbiology, Arizona State University, 1969, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology, University of Miami, Florida, 1973. He is also a member of the American Academy of Microbiology.

Dr. Gerba has authored more than 400 articles including several text books in environmental microbiology and pollution science. He actively conducts research on the development of new disinfectants and drinking water treatment processes, new methods for the detection of pathogens, and microbial risk assessment. He was a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Committee on the development of the "Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers," which forms the basis for testing the performance of water treatment devices used for outdoor recreation. He is a member of the U.S. EPA's Science Advisory Board Committees on Drinking Water and Research Strategies.

The public knows Dr. Gerba best for his crusading on behalf of household hygiene. He has made frequent media appearances, including Good Morning America, Today, and Dateline, and has been quoted numerous times in international and national reports, magazines and newspapers.