141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

279788
Mycobacterium infection from nail salon whirlpool foot baths: A call to action from podiatric medical students

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM

Chia-Ding Shih, MA , California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA
Richard Rocco, PhD , School of Pharmacy, Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA
Eric Stamps, DPM , Department of Medicine, California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt University, Oakland, CA
Furunculosis in the lower extremities caused by Mycobacterium fortunitum has emerged as a consequence of inadequate whirlpool foot bath disinfection in pedicure salons. The first reported outbreak occurred in 110 customers of a single nail salon in Watsonville, CA in 2000. All cases resolved after antibiotic treatment for up to 7 months. Genotyping confirmed the source as the drains in the pedicure salon foot baths. A total of 143 confirmed cases were reported in another outbreak that occurred in 33 different nail salons in 2004 in Northern California. A random survey conducted by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention in California reported 29 of 30 foot baths positive for Mycobacterium. Despite industry and health department directives on the steps required for adequate cleaning of the foot baths , reports continue to appear throughout the country. To address this problem , the student chapter of the American Public Health Association at the California School of Podiatric Medicine has developed a practice guideline for the prevention of these infections. The student chapter has worked with stakeholders in the nail salon industry to provide an acceptable and effective guideline for preventing furunculosis caused by whirlpool foot baths.

Learning Areas:
Protection of the public in relation to communicable diseases including prevention or control

Learning Objectives:
Design practice guidelines for the prevention of furunculosis due to commercial nail salon whirlpool foot baths.

Keywords: Infectious Diseases, Consumer Protection

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the student leader and initiator of this project focusing on the prevention of Mycobacterium outbreak among pedicure salons.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.