For a lot of American citizens, it is pretty common to wear your shoes at home. However, scientists believe that this is a dangerous habit due to the bad bacteria they carry. Namely, our shoes are magnets for E.coli sources like bird droppings, public bathroom floors, dog waste, etc.
What’s more, our shoes carry different bacteria from leaves and debris and studies point out that our shoes have approximately 421,000 distinct types of bacteria and when we fail to take them off when we enter our homes, we transmit 99 percent of the bacteria!
The Harmful Effects of E.Coli
This bacterium, as explained on Healthy Holistic Living, lives in the intestines and it may cause intestinal issues, UTIs, and diarrhea. The most common infection symptoms are diarrhea, nausea, tiredness, and abdominal cramps. You can get infected by swallowing even a tiny amount of the bacterium.
Other Harmful Bacteria Your Shoes Carry
According to a study done in Houston, Texas, our shoes also carry a bad bacterium known as C. difficile which may trigger a life-threatening colon inflammation. In the past, it was thought that you can catch it in hospitals; however, this is not the case because from the 2538 samples, only 448 were from hospitals.
The remaining samples were from bacterium that was caught on shoes from fast food restaurants, chain stores, and parks. There were also traces of this bacterium found in people’s homes as a result of not taking off their shoes at home.
What Are the Symptoms of C. Difficile?
Around 500,000 US citizens get sick from this bacterium and the numbers have been on the rise in the last couple of years and the infection has also become more difficult for treatment. The most common symptoms are dehydration, fever, pus and blood in the stool, rapid heartbeat, swollen abdominal region, and more.
How to Stay Safe from these Bacteria
Before you go into your home, make sure you take off the shoes or wipe them on a mat in front of your door. Remember, not seeing dirt does not mean that the shoes have no bacteria. Not wearing your shoes at home will protect not just you, but your loved ones too from dangerous bacteria and potential health complications!
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