Clean Hands Campaign

Despite an ever increasing threat from antibiotic resistant "superbugs" and emerging new microbial illnesses, at least one third of Americans appear to have forgotten the single best piece of infection control advice Mom ever gave them — always wash your hands after you go to the bathroom.

While 95 percent of men and women surveyed say they wash their hands after using a public restroom, only 67 percent of people actually do wash before leaving the restroom, according to the results of a survey and observational study conducted for the American Society of Microbiology Clean Hands Campaign.

The Clean Hands Campaign is a key component of ASM's ongoing efforts designed to spread the "importance of handwashing" message. The campaign will consist of educational materials designed for healthcare professionals and consumers including posters, a brochure, stickers and a Web site destination, http://www.washup.org for downloading information and educational materials.