These ulcers frequently become infected, and spread of infections to soft tissue and to bony structures is a major causal factor for lower-limb amputation (2).
This leads to a comparable decline in recolonization rates of patches by infected females and the spread of infections.
"Every new technology that can slow down the spread of infections is absolutely necessary," he said.
Patient groups concerned about superbugs tend to focus on reducing the spread of infections in hospitals.
But the exponential spread of infections means that, unchecked, it could quickly grow extremely large.
The reason, they concluded, was more than just the easier spread of infections.
The price of curbing the spread of infections in cattle, sheep and turkeys is likely to cost the taxpayer at least £120m this year.
Soap and warm water have long been said to prevent the spread of infections, but is warm or hot water really more effective than cold?
Action at the local level involves simple hand washing and immunization campaigns to stop the spread of infections in the first place.
The book, Cat Wars, calls for the activity of cats to be controlled in a bid to conserve global wildlife and prevent the spread of infections and diseases such as toxoplasmosis.
The clear consensus among experts is that unclean hands pose a serious health risk, and are one of the main culprits in the spread of infections contracted in hospitals.
