• Skin diseases are one of the most common human illnesses and fungal skin disease was recently ranked as the fourth globally most prevalent disease leading to years lived with a disability according to research (Hay et al., 2014).

• Children who live in housing where there is visible mould or having had a history of water damage are known to show adverse respiratory outcomes such as cough, wheeze and asthma.  It has been found for example by Rosenbaum et al (2010) that 38% of infants who experienced one or more episodes of wheeze during the first year of life are almost certain to have been exposed to measurable indoor airborne fungi and one or more of mould, water damage, dampness or musty odours in the home. 

• Dr David Denning (President of GAFFI) and Professor of Infectious Diseases in Global Health at the University of Manchester reported earlier this year in Melbourne that:

  - Deaths from fungal infections worldwide are >1.35 Million
  - Nearly 1Billion people suffer from fungal skin infections
  - Over 1Million eyes go blind each year due to fungal keratitis
  - Almost 400,000 people develop pneumocystis pneumonia, with most dying without therapy intervention

Hay, R.J., Johns, N.E., Williams, H.C., Bolliger, I.W., Dellavalle, R.P., Margolis, D.J., Marks, R., Naldi, L., Weinstock, M.A., Wulf, S.K., Michaud, C., Murray, C.J.L and Naghavi, M. (2014). The global burden of skin disease in 2010: an analysis of the prevalence and impact of skin conditions. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 134: 1527-1534.

Rosenbaum, P.F., Crawford, J.A., Anagnost, S.E., Wang, C.J., Hunt, A., Anbar, R.D., Hargrave, T.M., Hall, E.G., Liu, C.C and Abraham, J.L. (2010). Indoor airborne fungi and wheeze in the first year of life among a cohort of infants at risk for asthma. J. Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 20(6): 503-515.

• There are no National Standards for Infection Control in Australia.  Tattoo and Piercing hygiene Guidelines are urgently required.   

• It is reported that 1 in 5 persons experience skin complaints following a tattoo procedure including itching, stinging, sensitivity to the sun, and inflammation.  As well, multiple resistant Staphylococci infections are known (Serup et al., 2015).

• There are many question marks surrounding the toxicological risks from tattoo inks and the potential for acute and chronic health effects (Laux et al., 2015). 

Serup, J., Hutton Carlsen, K. and Sepehri, M. (2015). Tattoo complaints and complications: diagnosis and clinical spectrum. Curr Probl Dermatol. 48: 48-60. 

Laux, P., Tralau, T., Tentschert, J., Blume, A., Al Dahouk, S., Baumler, W., Bernstein, E., Bocca, B., Alimonti, A., Colebrook, H., de Cuyper, C., Dahne, L., Hauri, U., Howard, P.C., Janssen, P., Katz, L., Klitzman, B., Kluger, N., Krutak, L., Platzek, T., Scott-Lang, V., Serup, J., Teubner, W., Schreiver, I., Wilknib, E. and Luch, A. (2015). A medical-toxicological view of tattooing. The Lancet. July 24. 

• Nail-salon acquired skin infections and blood-borne disease risk could be improved by educating salon employees and their customers about good infection control practices (Lux et al., 2014).

• Procedure-related factors are also suggested to be responsible for pedicure-associated mycobacterial infections (Stout et al., 2011). 

• The possibility of contracting hepatitis B and C in nail salons and barbershops has been anecdotally reported.  A new research report highlights sanitary requirements including proper disinfection and sterilization to reduce the risks from HBV/HCV transmission (Yang et al., 2014).

• In rare cases, necrosis, gangrene, and amputation have resulted from a manicure! See Akter, F. (2014). 

Lux, L., Marshall, J., Parker, S., Collard, S., Rogers, B. and Fuson, S. (2014). Do educational interventions targeted to nail salon workers and customers improve infection control practices in these salons.? J. Am Podiatry Med Assoc. 104(2): 174-176. 

Stout, J.E., Gadkowski, L.B., Rath, S., Alspaugh, J.A., Miller, M.B. and Cox, G.M. (2011). Pedicure-associated rapidly growing mycobacterial infection: an endemic disease. Clin Infect Dis. 53(8): 787-792. 

Yang, J., Hall, K., Nuriddin, A., and Woolard, D. (2014). Risk of hepatitis B and C virus transmission in nail salons and barbershops and state regulatory requirements to prevent such transmission in the United States. J Public Health Manag Pract. 20(6): E20-30. 

Akter, F. (2014). Necrosis, gangrene, amputation: all from a manicure? Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery. 68: e25-e26. 

We're currently developing and providing industry and vocational training as well as train the trainer programs in diverse areas of public health mycology and generalized infection control for specific industry groups.

• Thinking of getting a tattoo? Read this first http://bit.ly/1NWGmzu

Anthony, R. (2017). Body Art - Industry Perspectives. 2017 EHPA Symposium (Environmental Health Professionals Symposium). Melbourne, 20-22nd September 2017.

http://symposium.ehpa.org.au/sessions.html

Anthony, R. (2017). Field Trip - In-depth look into the Body Art Industry. 2017 EHPA Symposium (Environmental Health Professionals Symposium). Melbourne, 20-22nd September 2017.

http://symposium.ehpa.org.au/sessions.html

Jones, C.L. & Anthony, R. (2016). Development of a Cloud-Based Risk Assessment Tool for the Inspection of Tattoo, Piercing, Nail Salon, and Allied Beauty or Body Art Establishments. Australasian College for Infection Prevention and Control. Melbourne, 20-23 November 2016.

http://www.acipcconference.com.au/2242