Stopping Germs in Their Tracks

Youre an infection control practitioner, but youre also a healthcare consumer who wants to stay abreast of news and information to keep yourself and your family safe from infections. Youre also a healthcare professional charged with educating colleagues in other departments about the importance of preventing cross contamination and the spread of infectious pathogens. In each scenario, you want information that is easy to understand by individuals at all comprehension levels.

GermStop is a new Web site designed to assemble a comprehensive collection of news and information pertaining to consumer-oriented interests relating to infections, infectious diseases, health, and hygiene. Todays consumer is increasingly literate and Internet-savvy, and they seek timely, compelling information on a wide range of topics that affect their health and the well-being of their loved ones. We are living in an age of frightening headlines that declare the perils of infectious threats, and consumers are more eager than ever about separating fact from fiction when it comes to health information. The push toward public reporting of hospital-acquired infections is just one important trend at the forefront of the movement toward consumer enlightenment and education.

GermStop provides a reliable, up-to-the minute, one-stop education shop for information; and because it is produced by Infection Control Today magazine, users know they are receiving dependable, science-based material. For more than 10 years, ICT has served as a recognized, trusted source of industry news and information, and is relied upon by thousands of infection control, infectious diseases, and public health professionals.

GermStop offers not only the latest consumer-oriented news and information, it also features interesting factoids, archived articles, glossaries, expert tips on health and hygiene, and much more to come as the Web site grows. Topics include influenza, MRSA and hospital infections, antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance, bioterrorism, cold and flu prevention, common and emerging infectious diseases, food safety, gym, spa and sports safety, hand hygiene, household hygiene, immunization, pet-related diseases and human health, sexually transmitted diseases, tattoo and piercing safety, travelers health, and much more, including the blog, One Mother to Another, which discusses items of interest relating to child-rearing and infectious diseases. GermStop also features a fun interactive diagram called Where Do Germs Hide? which provides simple instruction on how and where to avoid common germs, plus a Meet the Microbes section and fun Did You Know? germ-related tidbits. While its more of a light-hearted approach to pathogens, the message remains the same: washing your hands and observing proper hygiene will go a long way toward stopping the spread of disease both mild and severe. Its all at the GermStop Web site, so please visit us today at www.germstop.net

Until next month, bust those bugs!

Kelly M. Pyrek
Group Editor, Virgo Medical Group kpyrek@vpico.com