By Margarita Nahapetyan
Scientists from the United States have discovered that taking showers can pose a danger to some people because many shower heads are dirty and can harbor high levels of bacteria that are linked to lung infections.
A team of investigators led by Norman Pace of the University of Colorado at Boulder, took samples of the biofilm from the inside of 50 shower heads in nine American cities, including Manhattan, Memphis and Chicago and conducted a thorough analysis of the genetic material which it contained. The type and number of bacteria in shower heads varied from one place to another, often corresponding roughly with levels of bacteria in the water supply. However, one type of bacteria, called Mycobacterium avium, was detected in significantly higher numbers inside shower heads. The analysis revealed that nearly 30 per cent of all shower heads carried high levels of mycobacteria - a group of bacteria that is associated with respiratory illnesses when inhaled or swallowed. Researchers have found that the levels of this microbe were hundred times higher, when compared to those that can be found in typical household water.
Mycobacterium avium leads to pulmonary disease, causing symptoms such as a persistent dry cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and generally feeling sick. The bacteria most often infects individuals with weakened immune system including pregnant women and the elderly, but can occasionally infect people with strong immune system as well. Small amounts of the microbe are often found in tap water. The chemical forms a biofilm that gets attached to the inside part of the shower head and becomes airborne once the shower is turned on. In particular, the pathogens are not only in the water, but they can become suspended in the air so when a person starts to breathe, they get drawn deep into the lungs.
Professor Pace said that there have been some precedents for concern regarding pathogens and shower heads. However, until this time the academics did not know just how much concern. The doctor cautioned: "If you are getting a face full of water when you first turn your shower on, that means you are probably getting a particularly high load of Mycobacterium avium, which may not be too healthy."
According to the experts, not taking a shower is obviously not the answer to the problem, so what people can do is remove their shower head on a regular basis and thoroughly wipe and disinfect it. Also, if a shower head is plastic, the best thing to do would be to substitute it with a metal one since microbes and bacteria cling more easily to plastic.
The findings are published in the latest issue of the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, published by the US National Academy of Sciences.
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