Perhaps Ally McBeal can ease her off-the-charts stress levels by escaping to the office restroom. But for most of us, public toilets are actually a bit scary. Recommended Related to Mind, Body, Spirit Meet the Most Organized (and Happiest) Woman We Know Some women find happiness by taking off for exotic, far-flung places — think of Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love, circling the globe. Gretchen Rubin, on the other hand, found it right at home. Rubin, a New York City lawyer turned writer, didn't want to roam; she had a husband she was crazy about, two young daughters, a lovely home, a close extended family, good friends, and a satisfying career. She had, in short, a grown-up life. Which she loved — but, she admits,... Read the Meet the Most Organized (and Happiest) Woman We Know article > > If you squirm at the thought of creepy germs lurking on toilet seats and faucet handles, you probably spend as little time as possible in the restrooms of your office building, not to mention those in restaurants, hotels and (God forbid!) gas stations.

And during those nerve-wracking moments when you dare to venture into the confines of the bathroom, you may find yourself pushing open the stall door with your elbows, crouching precariously above the toilet seat rather than letting your skin touch it, and flushing with your shoe. But while there's plenty of bathroom paranoia to go around, anxiety might be a little overdone. Yes, there can be plenty of bugs lying in wait in public restrooms, including both familiar and unfamiliar suspects like streptococcus, staphylococcus, E. coli and shigella bacteria, hepatitis A virus, the common cold virus, and various sexually transmitted organisms. But if your immune system is healthy, and if you adopt simple hygienic measures like handwashing, you should be able to deliver a knockout punch to most of what you encounter and perhaps put your "germ-phobia" to rest. No doubt about it, there could be a witch's brew of germs wherever you turn in public restrooms. Many people consider toilet seats to be public enemy No. 1 -- the playground for organisms responsible for STDs like chlamydia or gonorrhea.

But before you panic, the toilet seat is not a common vehicle for transmitting infections to humans. Many disease-causing organisms can survive for only a short time on the surface of the seat, and for an infection to occur, the germs would have to be transferred from the toilet seat to your urethral or genital tract, or through a cut or sore on the buttocks or thighs, which is possible but very unlikely. "To my knowledge, no one has ever acquired an STD on the toilet seat -- unless they were having sex on the toilet seat!" says Abigail Salyers, PhD, president of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).Answer: Hepatitis C is a virus that can cause permanent liver damage, and sometimes liver cancer. About 80 percent of the people who are infected with hepatitis C are unable to clear the virus from their bodies, becoming hepatitis C carriers. As long as the virus is in the body, it can be passed to other people. It can take as long as 20 years for symptoms of liver disease to appear.

A special blood test for hepatitis C is the only way to tell if you have it. Answer: Most people infected with the hepatitis C virus do not feel sick at all. Some people have a “flu-like” illness about 1-3 months after becoming infected. Ideal Standard Toilet Seat BuffersOther symptoms include tiredness, nausea and vomiting, stomachache, and, less often, yellow eyes and skin, dark urine, and light-colored stools.Chocolate Lab Puppies For Sale In Rochester Mn Answer: It is spread through contact with the blood of an infected person. Homes For Sale Heartville IlThe most common way people get hepatitis C is by sharing injection drug equipment, including needles, cookers, water, and cotton. There is a small risk of transmission during sex.

Some people contracted Hepatitis C through blood transfusions before 1992. Tattoos and body piercings done with contaminated needles can spread hepatitis C. If a pregnant woman has hepatitis C, there is a small chance her baby may be born with it. Sharing razors, nail clippers, and toothbrushes may also spread the virus. The hepatitis C virus is not spread by sweat, tears, or urine. You cannot get it through casual contact, food, water, sneezing, coughing, or breathing air.Hepatitis is spread by direct contact with infected blood. Therefore, persons with hepatitis C can continue to go to school, work, and perform many other daily activities. Answer: There is no vaccine to prevent infection with hepatitis C. A vaccination against hepatitis A or hepatitis B does not protect you against hepatitis C. Instead, there are treatments to control hepatitis C. Answer: If you are exposed to HCV, have a baseline blood test done immediately. Second, get retested after 6 months. It can take up to 6 months before antibodies appear.

Answer: We recommend testing for the following: Answer: Medical and dental procedures done in the United States do not pose a risk for the spread of HCV. The use of required sterilization procedures or disposable instruments eliminates the risk of hepatitis C. Answer: There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. Answer: Antiviral drugs, such as interferon used alone or in combination with ribavirin, are approved for treatment. Some infections respond better to treatment than others. Overall, treatment works well in 30-50 percent of those who complete antiviral treatment. Answer: Please call Arkansas Department of Health HIV/STD/HEPC Division at 1-800-462-0599 for information. If you don't have insurance, check with your local health department, local support groups, or other resources as well. Answer: There are several things that you can do to prevent further damage to your liver. We recommend the following: Your health care provider will provide you with additional advice.

Answer: Persons with hepatitis C should not donate blood, organs, tissue, or semen. They should not share personal items that may have blood on them, such as razors, toothbrushes, dental appliances, or nail-grooming equipment. They should also cover their cuts and skin sores with a bandage. Answer: It does not occur very often. If HCV is spread within a household, it is spread by direct contact with infected blood. Examples would be sharing razors or toothbrushes. Answer: You may want to keep a first-aid kit in your home and in your car. Always use rubber gloves when cleaning up blood so that you do not come into direct contact with it. The area should be cleaned using a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water or other good disinfectant. Scrub the area thoroughly. Answer: Sexual transmission studies are still ongoing. Because hepatitis C is transmitted through blood, it is not easily transmitted through sex. There are still some questions as to whether or not the virus is transmitted through semen.

If you and your spouse are having anal sex, you may increase your chances of transmitting the virus if bleeding occurs. For your best protection, we suggest maintaining a monogamous relationship with your spouse. For added protection, you may want to consider using latex condoms. Answer: The risk for sexual transmission is low. If your partner has HCV and was a former IV drug user, screening would be appropriate to rule out infection. Answer: Hepatitis C is spread by direct contact with infected blood. It is not spread unless blood is present. Your child is not at risk having casual contact with your ex-spouse. Hepatitis C cannot be spread by hugging, kissing, handshakes, sneezing, coughing, or sharing household utensils (spoons, forks, Answer: Studies are still ongoing regarding the risk for transmission from tattoos and the presence of the virus in the ink. If a business follows universal safety procedures, such as using sterile needles and ink, then there is little risk of transmission.