MMR infographic
The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) recently updated its infographic about MMR vaccine and the diseases it prevents. The updates allow for more easily printing on 8.5” x 11” paper. We will be updating other infographics to make them more printer friendly in the coming weeks.
Contaminated tattoo ink
According to a Pew Research survey, about one-third of the U.S. population has at least one tattoo. Some people have experienced adverse reactions after getting a tattoo. These can include inflammatory and allergic responses, but sometimes they also include infections.
To evaluate the sterility of tattoo ink, a group of scientists from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) examined 75 samples of tattoo ink and permanent makeup covering 14 different brands. The results, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, indicated that 26 of the 75 samples were contaminated with bacteria. Further, of the two-thirds of the samples sold as sterile, about one-third of them contained bacterial contaminants. Almost 4 in 10 of those without a sterility claim were also contaminated. Permanent makeup products were more likely to be contaminated than tattoo inks. Thirty-four different types of bacteria were identified from the 26 contaminated samples. Most of the bacterial types require oxygen to grow, but some do not (called anaerobes). Given that the inks breach the skin, anaerobes could have the opportunity to reproduce under the skin after receipt of the tattoo. For these reasons, products used for these purposes should be monitored to ensure their safety.
Find out more:
MMR infographic
The Vaccine Education Center (VEC) recently updated its infographic about MMR vaccine and the diseases it prevents. The updates allow for more easily printing on 8.5” x 11” paper. We will be updating other infographics to make them more printer friendly in the coming weeks.
Contaminated tattoo ink
According to a Pew Research survey, about one-third of the U.S. population has at least one tattoo. Some people have experienced adverse reactions after getting a tattoo. These can include inflammatory and allergic responses, but sometimes they also include infections.
To evaluate the sterility of tattoo ink, a group of scientists from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) examined 75 samples of tattoo ink and permanent makeup covering 14 different brands. The results, published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, indicated that 26 of the 75 samples were contaminated with bacteria. Further, of the two-thirds of the samples sold as sterile, about one-third of them contained bacterial contaminants. Almost 4 in 10 of those without a sterility claim were also contaminated. Permanent makeup products were more likely to be contaminated than tattoo inks. Thirty-four different types of bacteria were identified from the 26 contaminated samples. Most of the bacterial types require oxygen to grow, but some do not (called anaerobes). Given that the inks breach the skin, anaerobes could have the opportunity to reproduce under the skin after receipt of the tattoo. For these reasons, products used for these purposes should be monitored to ensure their safety.
Find out more: