Most people take a shower several times a week to improve their personal hygiene. It will be surprising to many that the contaminants in shower heads can also transmit harmful bacteria. According to recent studies, bacteria deposits in the shower head lead to life-threatening diseases.
What bacteria did the researchers identify in the nozzle?
Researchers at the University of Colorado have found that soul people are sometimes exposed to deadly bacteria. Experts published the results of the study in the English-language magazine mBio.
Most germs are harmless, but there are some dangerous exceptions, the researchers say.
Microbes of the genus Mycobacterium were especially interesting for specialists. This group of bacteria can cause leprosy and tuberculosis.
Also, the list of bacteria studied includes about 200 other species that are common in the environment. These pathogens are found in soil, dust and tap water. Together, they are called non-tuberculous mycobacteria (BMS).
Such bacteria grow in mold-like colonies. As a result, NMB can hide in the most dirty areas of the bathroom - the edges of the sink and shower head.
DNA from 656 biofilm samples was investigated
It is important to understand the effects of mycobacteria, especially at home. For this, scientists studied the DNA of 656 biofilm samples from domestic showers and the basic data on the chemistry of water for each source. As they suspected, dangerous mycobacteria were found in the analysis. However, large differences were also observed depending on the region in which the samples were taken and the sources of water used.
Analyzes showed that the genus Mycobacterium was the most common type of bacteria found in the souls of houses. Mycobacteria were more common in US households than the European Union or Russia.
Experts suspect that this is due to differences in the chemicals used to purify the water. Chlorine is more commonly used in the United States, but NMBs tend to become resistant to this type of disinfectant.
Metal shower heads were more soiled
In metal shower heads, more NMBs were found. Plastic shower heads contained a more diverse microbiome. This may be due to chemicals in plastics that control the growth of mycobacteria, the researchers explain.
The team found that in regions of the USA where the disease of pulmonary disease was the most common, the pathogen bacteria also contained more pathogenic bacteria. At the moment, however, the team’s results show only a correlation, not a causal relationship. Further research should now reveal a causal relationship.
What are the symptoms of infection with these bacteria?
Tuberculosis develops from a local focus of inflammation, which is usually located in the lungs.
In the most common case, primary tuberculosis is asymptomatic. In about 5% of cases, symptoms of fever and flu can occur.
Cellular immunity keeps the parasite in check. In the case of weakened immunity, for example, due to HIV infection, suppressing the immune system of therapy or in old age, the disease is reactivated.
The "reactivation" of the infection is caused by the scattering of mycobacteria from a fresh primary complex. Usually this (in 85% of cases) is a lung lesion.
Usually a slowly progressing disease is manifested by fever, cough (often with bloody sputum), weight loss and energy. Destruction of the lung is usually irreversible. Tuberculosis bacilli can spread from the lungs to other organs - including the liver, spleen, brain.
If any of the above symptoms occur, it is recommended that you consult your doctor. It is not recommended to self-medicate. Prolonged delay in therapy is fraught with serious health consequences. With timely started therapy, the chances of recovery are much higher.
