The war on dirty nails

State health officials are putting the boot on dirty footbaths that can harbor dangerous bacteria. It's no joke - a lawsuit alleges that unsanitary conditions led to the death of a Sunnyvale woman who became infected after a whirlpool pedicure. The dead woman's mother blames an infection associated with the aggressive bacteria transmittable through foot spas. From this morning's San Francisco Chronicle:

A state inspection of Top Hair and Nails on Wednesday found nearly a dozen violations, ranging from improper disinfection to "dirty foot-spa chairs." The state Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, which regulates the salon industry, also launched an inquiry on Wednesday into whether the salon has been properly licensed, according to the board's spokesman Kevin Flanagan. San Jose attorney Anne Miller, who represents Top Hair and Nails, said the salon denies any wrongdoing. "They have never received a complaint about their salon from any other customers."

Emergency legislation by Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, would place tighter controls and tougher penalties on salons that violate state regulations.