Can your flip-flops kill you?

[caryrae]

Anyone see this on the Today show yesterday? What do you think? They should have tested other shoes to see how they compare.

Summer footwear harbor more than 18,000 bacteria, including deadly germ

By Laura T. Coffey
TODAY staff
updated 8:20 a.m. CT, Tues., Aug 18, 2009
Ah, the casual, comfortable flip-flop: A symbol of summertime, an emblem of relaxation — and a harbinger of death?

OK, well, that may be overstating it a little bit — but not by too terribly much, health experts say.

TODAY, with the help of the University of Miami emergency mobile flip-flop lab, tested some footwear and found that there were more than 18,000 bacteria on just one pair of flip-flops. Even more shocking than the number of germs were the types represented — bacteria from fecal matter, skin and respiratory germs. One pair of 6-year-old flip-flops had germs that cause yeast infection and diaper rash.

The New York Daily News recently tested two pairs of flip-flops as well, ones that traipsed through bars in New York’s West Village, plodded through Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, rode the F, A, C, G, 2 and 3 subway trains, attended a Brooklyn Cyclones game in Coney Island and rode the Cyclone roller coaster. One pair wandered into the Coney Island subway station’s public restroom.

They found that the shoes that flopped their way into that public restroom harbored about 13,900 more bacteria than the other pair.

Presence of a deadly germ
Most disturbing of all, the flip-flops provided shelter to the potentially lethal germ Staphylococcus aureus. That’s serious, said Dr. Philip M. Tierno Jr., director of clinical microbiology and immunology at New York University’s Langone Medical Center. He said the presence of this germ can be especially problematic if you have an open cut or blister on your foot, or if you handle your flip-flops a lot with your hands.

“That particular organism can give you a serious infection like a boil, or more serious, it could possess toxins,” Tierno told TODAY. “They can make you very sick or kill you.”

Tierno — also known as “Dr. Germ” — pointed out that if such shoes were worn for three months over the course of an entire summer, 93 percent of them would have fecal bacteria on them and 20 percent of them would have E. coli.

“These bacteria detected indicate obviously that feces, urine, spit, vomit, animal droppings were all present,” Tierno told TODAY. “That is what’s on the streets of a big city and in public bathrooms ... Think about what’s on the ground we walk on in New York City. There’s rat-doo and cockroaches, and they’re harbingers of all sorts of germs."

Dr. Lisa Plano, a microbiologist at the University of Miami, agreed with Tierno’s assessment of the dangers of germs on flip-flops, but said this knowledge shouldn’t inspire utter panic in flip-flop owners.

“As long as your skin is intact, as long as you use common sense and don’t knowingly expose yourself ... you shouldn’t be alarmed,” she said. “Even though those nasty things are out there, those nasty things have always been out there — we just haven’t always been looking for them.”

Protect yourself
So armed with information like this, what’s a fan of casual footwear to do? Tierno said to avoid touching your flip-flops and your unwashed feet as much as possible.

“That’s what you do when you’re wearing these types of shoes — you’re adjusting it often for comfort, since they flop around,” Tierno said. “They are thin and you handle it more than a regular shoe to slip it over your toe.”

To help combat such exposure, you can wash your hands often and remove your shoes before you walk around your home.

You also could consider reserving those flip-flops as part of your beach or poolside attire only, Tierno said.

“I’m not saying don’t ever wear them,” he said. “They are nice for the beach and the pool and perhaps even in your home. ... My thought is they should be worn temporarily. There is a place for them.”

[SurferStitch]

I've always tried to refrain from touching the bottom of all of my shoes...flip flops or not. Flip flops aren't the only shoes that collect bacteria on them.....ALL shoes do. It's just that flip flops are so popular, so now we have to be told about all of the diseases we can get wearing them. I love the media!

I hate wearing the thin, flat flip flops. I always wear platform type flops and sandals, with the occasional flatter sandal now and then. When we visit NYC, I ALWAYS wear a platform sandal or shoe. I like to be "above" the grime on the ground.

[crazypoohbear]

I took this report to mean that because flip flops are worn and your feet are exposed that if you have a cut or something on your foot you could contract something. Also, they said that women wear flip flops out and then put those shoes into their bags and put on the nice shoes when they arrive at their destination.
Therefore, you are putting those flip flops with all the "stuff" on them into your bag with your cell phone, pens, wallet, gum and what ever else is in your bag thus cross contaminating everything you touch, eat and use that is in your bag.

[SBETigg]

Flip flops could definitely kill me, but for other reasons. I can't walk in them at all. If I could manage it for even a short time, I'm pretty sure I would trip and whack my head on something.

[BigRedDad]

Flip-flops were targeted in this study. However, the results would be the same for any shoes. On top of that, this has been going on for decades and it has never been a drastic shock.

Now, if terrorists wanted to target some biological weapon, they could easily places it on the ground and watch the masses transport it everywhere. Kind of similar to the movie Outbreak.

[Scar]

One pair of 6-year-old flip-flops had germs that cause yeast infection and diaper rash.

Well, at least we now know where not to wear them.

[SurferStitch]

Well, at least we now know where not to wear them.

[DVC2004]

I read this story earlier today. I wear flip flops all summer long except of course to work or anywhere that is "formal". I can't believe they are any dirtier than any shoe- they all go the same places! I can see the point re: a cut or wound but I think any sandal would be the same. I haven't contracted any flip flop- bourne illnesses yet to my knowledge.

I don't touch my shoe bottoms either. The bigger danger to me would be to "fall out" of my flip flop and trip or turn my ankle.

[garymacd]

I didn't even think about bacteria on the shoes.

I was thinking more about people trying to do different activities wearing them, like:
bike riding
rock climbing
running
dancing
etc.

Well, maybe dying is a of an extreme outcome for wearing flip flops, but you never know...

[Dsnygirl]

Well, seeing as I wear mine from the earliest warm day in April to the last warm day in November... including trips to New England, any beach I can get to here in Upstate NY, Canada and WDW.... every store & every mall... and I'm not dead yet... that's a pretty good sign!!

Although, I confess, I am one of these people that wash their flip flops... I've tossed my Reebok ones in the washer and done my Clarks ones in the sink in scalding water... although now I'm re-thinking that and thinking I'll use the tub next time... ... and my LL Bean ones never get washed, just rinsed... but they don't get worn as much, either.

Geez... and I thought some other kind of disease would get me first....

[kakn7294]

Well, seeing as I wear mine from the earliest warm day in April to the last warm day in November... including trips to New England, any beach I can get to here in Upstate NY, Canada and WDW.... every store & every mall... and I'm not dead yet... that's a pretty good sign!!

Although, I confess, I am one of these people that wash their flip flops... I've tossed my Reebok ones in the washer and done my Clarks ones in the sink in scalding water... although now I'm re-thinking that and thinking I'll use the tub next time... ... and my LL Bean ones never get washed, just rinsed... but they don't get worn as much, either.

Geez... and I thought some other kind of disease would get me first....

I'm the same way! I wear mine everyday throughout the warm weather and I wash mine as well. In fact, when I used to wear sneakers, I never washed my shoes but now that I only wear Crocs and flip flops, my shoes are washed all the time.

[RedSoxFan]

I have a big assortment of flip-flops. I love them. So much more comfortable than sneakers.

[Donald A]

As a podiatrist, I must say I have seen some wierd things from flip-flops. I don't know if they can kill you but:
1) Your feet are exposed to injury
2) As the report said, there is a lot of different types of bacteria out there
3) Feet prone to injury + lots of bacteria = infection

I have had to drain a few abscesses caused from flip-flops. (Some not diabetics either)

Plus flip-flops stink in terms of support. I don't quite understand the trend of wearing a shoe made for the beach or the shower are all over the place as that is not their purpose. Oh well, I guess for some people it is just a rite of summer.

[Mousemates]

mine can't kill me...but I can remember thinking that my mother's might....back in the old days she was known to pull off her flip-flops around the swimming pool and "tap my tail" to get my attention.

[Disneyatic]

mine can't kill me...but I can remember thinking that my mother's might....back in the old days she was known to pull off her flip-flops around the swimming pool and "tap my tail" to get my attention.

WOOO, my mom was never athletic, but she could whip off that flip flop and aim like a champ towards us in the back of the station wagon when we were being bad

I was actually thinking about washing a pair of my flip flops today...they are the foam soles and the straps are some type of leather (real or fake?) But I don't know how they'd hold up.....

[Mousemates]

WOOO, my mom was never athletic, but she could whip off that flip flop and aim like a champ towards us in the back of the station wagon when we were being bad

here's to moms who were willing to shed a bit of fashion to keep family discipline

[Mickey91]

here's to moms who were willing to shed a bit of fashion to keep family discipline

She'd probably get you for the beer too! Or is that root beer you're toasting? LOL! That would be bad if the flop with all that bacteria hit your foam!

[drummerboy]

The point with flip-flops is that they're so open and most (ahem) people wear them without socks. The germs don't just stay on the sole, but travel up onto the unprotected foot and into any open cuts, etc.

[Mousemates]

She'd probably get you for the beer too! Or is that root beer you're toasting? LOL! That would be bad if the flop with all that bacteria hit your foam!

we'll call it an A&W and leave it at that

[magicofdisney]

The point with flip-flops is that they're so open and most (ahem) people wear them without socks. The germs don't just stay on the sole, but travel up onto the unprotected foot and into any open cuts, etc.

Don't tell me you're a slip-slopper!
(socks with flip-flops)