A recent national survey conducted by Wirthlin Worldwide found that 95 percent of respondents say they always wash their hands after going to the bathroom. However, observations in public restrooms indicate that only 67 percent of adults do so. Infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death and disease worldwide as well as the third leading cause of death in the United States. In addition to preventing widespread public health epidemics, regular handwashing can reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Hands can transfer germs from contaminated raw meat, eggs and poultry to other foods, or from an infected person to the food.
Children attending daycare are at greater risk for respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases.
Furthermore, they are likely to spread these diseases to other family members and people in the community. It has been demonstrated that proper handwashing can substantially decrease the incidence of diarrhea in children attending daycare centers. The CDC has reported an alarming number of salmonella infections, in both adults and children, that were associated with reptiles. All pet owners need to take adequate measures after handling and cleaning up after their pets, including proper handwashing.