Bacteria

Tests at a downtown state office building where an employee came down with Legionnaires' disease were negative for the bacteria that causes the illness, officials said yesterday. When workers arrived at the William Donald Schaefer Tower on St. Paul Street yesterday morning, they were handed a memo informing them of the lab test results, according to Dave Humphrey, a spokesman for the Department of General Services, which operates the facility. A routine annual test done on the air-conditioning system's cooling tower showed no signs of live Legionella bacteria, he said.

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, will a California roll a day keep the dentist at bay? Probably not. But there is a claim that certain compounds found in wasabi, the piquant green horseradish that accompanies sushi and sashimi, can kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay. The notion of wasabi-as-cavity-fighter was developed by Dr. Hideki Masuda, a research director at Ogawa and Co. of Japan, which makes food flavorings and fragrances, including wasabi flavors, but not wasabi paste.

PEOPLE ALWAYS ask me: How come the newspaper prints so much bad news? How come the front page always has negative headlines like: "Freak Espresso Machine Explosion Destroys Crowded Starbucks?" Why don't we print stories with a positive slant, like: "Destroyed Starbucks Was Popular Gathering Place for Lawyers?" Well, OK, then. You want good news? We got yer good news right here, starting with this: Exciting Advance in Livestock Flatulence As you know if you have ever stood outdoors in the Midwest, cows give off methane gas. We don't know why. Maybe they're bored.

Mother was right. Our shoes are filthy, and we'd be smart to leave them at the door, like they do in Japan. Even microbiologist Charles P. Gerba was surprised to discover what we track into the house on our footwear. "I'm starting to make myself paranoid," he said. "It seems like we step in a lot more poop than I thought." Gerba is a professor in the University of Arizona's Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science. He's spent years studying how humans spread microbes around and "share" them wherever they go. But when he was asked by the Rockport Co. whether he thought throwing shoes in the washer made hygienic sense, he told them, "I don't know.

The U.S. Naval Academy removed professors and students from an academic building yesterday after discovering higher-than-usual levels of Legionella bacteria, the germ that can cause Legionnaires' disease.A Baltimore-based company that regularly inspects and tests the academy's water systems found the bacteria Tuesday afternoon in Rickover Hall, home of the school's engineering department. The bacteria were found in the water circulating through the building's cooling system. Academy officials said they did not think any of the bacteria had escaped into the air, nor was there any risk of contamination to drinking water, but air and water samples were taken to make sure.

Two Maryland hospitals will soon begin testing methods to stop the spread of deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a pilot project that could lead to changes in the way health care facilities statewide deal with this stubborn problem. About 120,000 patients in the United States were infected with the bacteria known as MRSA in 2002, according to data from the national Centers for Disease Control. Many hospitals have struggled to prevent infections because the bacteria can pass easily among patients and staff members, and through contact with contaminated equipment.

What causes bad breath, and how can I get rid of it? Bad breath (halitosis) is often caused by bacteria in the mouth or upper airway that produce sulfur-containing compounds. Usually, it can be banished by flossing and brushing teeth twice a day and brushing and scraping the tongue. If bacteria are also lurking in deep "pockets" in the gums, a dental professional must scrape them out. But even with excellent oral hygiene, some people need more drastic approaches. About 90 percent of bad breath is caused by bacteria in the mouth itself, and a only small percentage is caused by bacteria in the tonsils, said Dr. Richard Price, a retired dentist and a spokesman for the American Dental Association.

TORONTO - A bacterium that causes virulent diarrhea in the elderly has been spreading through hospitals in Quebec and Alberta, and might have contributed to the deaths of 100 patients in one institution in the past 18 months, medical authorities said yesterday. The spread of an infectious illness in at least a handful of hospitals has Canadian health experts concerned. Hospital officials say housekeeping staffs have been stretched thin because of cutbacks in federal and provincial funding in recent years and that sanitary conditions suffered.

The Maryland Department of the Environment has ruled out two possible sources of bacteria in the Union Bridge water supply, and the agency now plans to check a suspected sinkhole near the well on Locust Street.Treated water from the well is safe to drink, an MDE spokesman said when tests started in September. But the agency wants to know the source of bacteria in the untreated water.Dye tests showed no infiltration from the town's sewer system, which is "very good news," said John W. Grace, an MDE public health engineer.

The Maryland Department of the Environment has ruled out two possible sources of bacteria in the Union Bridge water supply, and the agency now plans to check a suspected sinkhole near the well on Locust Street.Treated water from the well is safe to drink, an MDE spokesman said when tests started in September. But the agency wants to know the source of bacteria in the untreated water.Dye tests showed no infiltration from the town's sewer system, which is "very good news," said John W. Grace, an MDE public health engineer.