【双语新闻】专家警告“赶紧行动”：室内穿鞋或致人生病

Consumer champions at Which? have issued a stern warning to the public about a common habit that could potentially lead to illness. Sharing their advice on X, they highlighted the risks associated with shoes, pets and children.

英国消费者权益杂志《Which?》的消费维权专家针对一种可能引发疾病的常见习惯向公众发出严厉警告。 他们在社交平台X上分享建议时，着重强调了鞋子、宠物和儿童带来的相关风险。

The experts posed a thought-provoking question, asking people whether or not they would wipe their dog's poo on their floor, and if the answer is no, then "why are you walking around your home in your shoes?"

专家们抛出一个引人深思的问题：人们是否会把狗的粪便擦在自己家地板上？如果答案是否定的， 那么“为什么还要穿着鞋在家中四处走动呢？”

It explains: "Studies found that the average shoe sole carries over 400,000 bacteria, including E. coli, which can be found in faeces. The study also found 96% of shoes picked up various types of coliform bacteria, and even though not all of these are harmful, there is a chance you're tracking toilet germs straight into your home."

他们解释道：“研究发现，普通鞋底携带超过40万种细菌， 其中包括可在粪便中发现的埃希氏大肠杆菌。 研究还发现，96%的鞋子沾染了各种类型的肠道杆菌，尽管并非所有肠道杆菌都有害， 但你仍有可能将厕所里的病菌直接带回家中。”

In fact, we previously reported that "research from the University of Arizona found that 96% of shoe soles carried coliform bacteria, and approximately 27% carried E. coli, which is associated with gastrointestinal infections and urinary tract infections.

事实上，我们此前曾报道过：“亚利桑那大学的研究发现， 96%的鞋底携带肠道杆菌， 约27%的鞋底携带与胃肠道感染和尿路感染相关的埃希氏大肠杆菌。”

"Another study measured an average of 421,000 units of bacteria clinging to the outside of a typical shoe, with up to 99% of that transferred to clean floors within just a few steps."

“另一项研究测量发现，一双普通鞋的外侧平均附着有42.1万个单位的细菌， 其中多达99%的细菌会在几步之内转移到干净的地板上。”

The issue becomes particularly concerning for households with children or pets, who may inadvertently bring in additional contaminants or fall ill from exposure to harmful substances. Which? elaborated: "Babies and toddlers crawl on the floor are also much more likely to pick up harmful bacteria that could lead to serious illness and let's not forget the damage.

对于有儿童或宠物的家庭而言，这一问题尤为令人担忧， 因为儿童和宠物可能会无意中带进更多污染物，或因接触有害物质而生病。 《Which?》杂志进一步阐述道： “婴儿和学步期的幼儿会在地板上爬行，他们也更有可能接触到可能导致严重疾病的有害细菌，更不用说造成的损害了。

"Shoes grind dirt into carpet fibres and scratch up wooden floors, costing you a lot of money in the long run. Even your pets aren't innocent - those paws are tracking in dirt and bacteria from the outside world too."

“鞋子会将污垢磨进地毯纤维，刮花木地板，从长远来看，这会让你损失一大笔钱。 就连你的宠物也不无辜——它们的爪子也会从外面带进污垢和细菌。”

So what can you do? You should act now, as the sooner you address the issue (and mop the floors), the less risk there is.

那么，你该怎么做呢？ 你应该立即行动起来，因为越早解决这个问题（并拖地），风险就越小。

The consumer experts recommend implementing a strict shoes-off policy at the entrance of your property, extending this rule to visitors as well. They suggest keeping slippers by the door for guests who'd rather not walk around in bare feet.

消费专家建议，在房屋入口处实施严格的脱鞋政策，并将这一规定同样适用于访客。 他们建议在门口为不愿赤脚走动的客人准备拖鞋。

Additionally, pet owners should make it a routine to clean their animal's paws after every outdoor excursion, particularly after walks on muddy or wet paths. Regular floor cleaning is also essential, they concluded.

此外，宠物主人应养成每次带宠物外出归来后清洁其爪子的习惯， 尤其是在泥泞或潮湿的小路上散步后。 他们总结道，定期清洁地板也至关重要。