| Shower Curtains home >
Shower Curtains News Center > A&M microbiologist finds bacterial growth in whirlpool bathtubs
A&M microbiologist finds bacterial growth in whirlpool bathtubs
Click
here to see our selection of Shower Curtains.
 By
Keith Randall
Special to The Eagle
Attention, whirlpool bathtub users: That water you're soaking in
could be some of the nastiest in the world.
A study by a Texas A&M University microbiologist shows that
whirlpool bathtubs can literally be a breeding ground for dozens
of types of bacteria, many of them potential pathogens, and such
water can be a ground zero for infectious diseases.
Microbiologist Rita B. Moyes tested 43 water samples from whirlpool
bathtubs - private and public ones - and found that all 43 had bacterial
growth ranging from mild to red-level dangerous. A whopping 95 percent
of the samples contained fecal-derived bacteria, 81 percent had
fungi and 34 percent contained staphylococcus, which can cause deadly
staph infections.
The lesson learned: Enter a whirlpool bathtub at your own risk,
which may be considerable. "Whirlpool baths are almost always
a prime area for potentially harmful microbes," Moyes says.
"The main reason is the lining of the pipes. They are full
of inaccessible air, and water in these pipes tends to get trapped,
often for long periods of time. When the jets are then switched
on, this water with harmful bacteria gets blown into the tub where
a person is soaking and then trouble can start."
To get an idea of how much bacteria are in whirlpool tub pipes,
Moyes says a normal teaspoon of tap water contains an average of
about 138 bacteria, with many samples having no bacteria. But a
teaspoon of whirlpool tub water contains an average of more than
2.17 million bacteria.
"The stagnant water in a whirlpool bathtub pipe is a great
place for bacteria to grow and grow," Moyes says.
She adds that such harmful bacteria can lead to numerous illnesses,
among them urinary tract infections, septicemia, pneumonia and several
types of skin infections. Because of the aerosol mist created by
the whirlpool action, microbes are forced into the lungs or open
cuts, she explains. One type of bacteria, L. pneumophila, can cause
Legionnaires Disease, of which 90 percent of all cases can be traced
back to bacteria developed from a warm environment.
Moyes says that as long ago as 1972, studies were done to test
the bacteria levels in whirlpool baths and hot tubs, but evidence
collected has often not shown sufficient reasons for concern.
"That's probably because a hot tub or whirlpool as a source
of infection can't be clearly distinguished from other sources,"
she says. "An example might be when you develop a respiratory
infection. The doctor can tell you that you do have a respiratory
infection, but he or she can't tell you how you got it.
"The best way to prevent such bacteria from forming is to
clean out the pipes. The pipes in a whirlpool bathtub need to be
scraped and cleaned just like you need to brush your teeth with
toothpaste."
Whirlpool tubs remain a popular bathroom amenity. A survey by the
National Association of Home Builders shows that 58 percent of owners
want a hot tub or whirlpool, and whirlpool bathtubs are increasingly
popular in hotels, hospitals and health resorts.
"Because of the popularity of whirlpool bathtubs, the public
needs to be educated on the possible risks," Moyes says. "We
also need to explore effective ways to prevent the growth of bacteria
in whirlpool bathtubs through new cleaning methods and new technology
in tub design."
http://www.theeagle.com/stories/012806/am_20060128056.php
|
