Consumer Health News
Fungus alert: Use of towel at gym helps reduce spread of spores
Apr 24, 2006, 4:17 GMT
Berlin - People who work out at the gym should use a towel when they are on the stationary bike or other shared exercise equipment to reduce the spread of fungal infections.
The fungi cause itchy rashes or in the worst case, circular patches where no hair grows, Professor Hans-Juergen Tietz of the Institute for Fungal Illness in Berlin told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa in an interview.
School-going children involved in sports can also contract the fungal infections.
The fungus is a huge problem, Tietz said as it spreads when it is rubbed off the skin of someone infected and lands on the racks where weights are placed or on exercise mats.
Gyms are usually disinfected on a regular basis, but it's still a good idea to use caution, experts recommend.
People who do not wish to use a towel should wear something that completely covers their back and shoulders, Tietz said.
Parents should give their children long-sleeved shirts when they do sports to protect against the skin fungus. Apart from that, parents also can insist that mats be cleaned regularly, Tietz said.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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