Flies can carry typhus and cholera in their hair, she said. “They are worse than having cockroaches,� Kendall said. Flies lay their eggs on rotten and decomposing things outside, and after crawling on these sites, they come into your house, she said. By keeping a house clean, a person will prevent rodent entry, and by keeping a house sealed off with intact screens and by blocking up holes, a person prevents the flies and the mosquitoes in the spring and summer, she said. Food is an important subject for keeping healthy, especially when it comes to storing and keeping it, said Marla Luckey, an environmental health specialist for the San Juan Basin Health Department, in a phone interview. Bacteria is present in foods that need to be heated or refrigerated to be preserved, and these items are known as potentially hazardous food, Luckey said. In order to fit with the internal temperature of food, cold foods should be kept at 41 degrees or cooler, and foods like chicken and leftovers need to be cooked at a temperature of at least 165 degrees, she said. Food kept between 41 and 135 degrees are at risk by being in the temperature danger zone, where food-borne illnesses, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, can grow, she said. Being careful with handling these foods is very important, she said. With food that has been sitting out, a good gauge is the two- and four-
hour marks. If a gallon of milk has been sitting out for two hours, it should be fine as long as it is put back in the refrigerator. After four hours, food becomes high risk, and although it is personal discretion, throwing items out at this point is advised, she said. Spoiled and undercooked meats can cause many health problems, she said. Spoiled dairy meats puts the consumer at risk of listeria, and meats and poultry can carry salmonella that is transmitted when not properly cooked, she said. All food can carry health risks, even rice that is left out can raise a concern, she said. When it comes down to it, hygiene is important because it is a respect issue, she said. Maintaining a clean home and body shows respect for those living with you and others around, she said.
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