Dear Esther Jo,
Staph infections do not point to bad hygeine.
Any break in the skin, even so small you are unaware of it, can provide an entry for bacteria. And no matter how often you wash, even scrub, and no matter what cleansing agent you use, you can't avoid having bacteria on your skin. So, a little bump or bruise, and there you go.
Staph are just part of the flora in our environment and on our skin. Perhaps the question should be: How come people with poor hygeine are not covered with these infections from head to toe? It just turns out that we are covered with a marvelous protective system: The skin keeps the bad thing out and the good things in.
In regard to the public pool, unless the operators do not follow all guidelines properly, the swimming part is probably just coincidental. Keep at it. I learned to swim in a public pool and swam competitively until 30 years of age.
Thanks for your question. We are here to help, and I hope we have.
Teaching Doc
Edited by wisenash on May 26 2006 at 2:40am
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