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It may sound strange, but Tabasco hot sauce is proving to be a successful training aid for health care workers learning how to avoid contamination when taking care of patients with the Ebola virus.
ABC News reports that at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, staff preparing new biocontainment units are using the popular hot sauce condiment in their training. The spicy sauce is used to represent bodily fluids containing the Ebola virus.
Artificial patients are doused with the sauce, and health care workers then perform treatment tasks. At the end of the drill is the real test: removing their contaminated gear safely.
Originally, ketchup mixed with water was used. Tabasco is ideal to use in this situation because workers know immediately that they have come in contact with contaminated fluids from the stinging sensation that the capsaicin in the sauce creates. Capsaicin is the chemical that makes foods spicy.
Doramarie Arocha, director of infection prevention, came up with the idea to use Tabasco sauce and has trainees rub their eyes and touch their lips after they finish removing their protective gear. If they receive no tingling or stinging sensation, they know they have safely removed their gear and avoided contamination.
The new biocontainment units are part of Gov. Rick Perry’s initiative to address any future Ebola outbreaks in the state.
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