[at-l] Keeping it Clean

[Carol Donaldson]

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20060819/food.asp

Gastrointestinal illnesses are common among backpackers and other campers, in part because water found in the wilderness can be contaminated with bacteria or parasites. In 2004, a study found that 56 percent of backpackers on the Appalachian Trail develop diarrhea, and those who don't always treat their water to disinfect it face a 69-percent risk of illness. 

However, 45 percent of the Appalachian hikers who consistently treated their drinking water also got diarrhea in that study. So other hygiene lapses-including inadequate washing of hands, dishes, and eating utensils-are apparently major threats to health in the wilderness, Hargreaves says.