UK health authorities are urging people to practice good hand hygiene as a shocking study has revealed alarming levels of contaminants on commonly used surfaces.
Scientists, who took swabs from various items and surfaces used daily, discovered a worrying number of bacteria on self-service checkout screens, including E.coli, known for causing vomiting.
Alarmingly, traces of faeces were also detected, as well as microbes responsible for urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Even more concerning was the presence of Candida albicans, a bug typically found in intimate bodily regions, which was identified on an escalator handrail.
The risks don’t end there – office workers who share desks could be vulnerable to intestinal microbes discovered on computer keyboards, capable of causing a gamut of infections.
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Dr Adam Roberts led the study (Image: Champs Public Health Collaborative/SWNS)
Leading the research, Dr Adam Roberts from the Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON) highlighted the severity of the findings, particularly noting the high bacterial load on self-service checkouts.
He said: “The self-checkout samples had one of the highest bacterial loads, as we found five different types of potential disease-causing bacteria surviving on them. This included Enterococcus, which is found in human faeces and, while this is usually harmless, it can of course lead to disease, particularly in those who may have weakened immune systems.”
Dr Roberts has issued a stark warning about the cleanliness of computer keyboards after disturbing findings emerged from recent research, reports .
The study unveiled troubling levels of E.coli and a bacteria named Klebsiella on these everyday devices, both of which originate from faecal matter and can induce serious illnesses in humans.
He emphasised the importance of hand hygiene by saying: “It’s vital that we wash our hands before and after eating when working at the computer.”
Research assistant Annabel Murphy checking for bacteria (Image: Champs Public Health Collaborative/SWNS)
Dr Roberts also highlighted the need for rigorous hand washing to mitigate infection risks, particularly after using the bathroom.
He advised: “It’s vital to try to minimise their effects in terms of infection prevention and control, so when we touch our mouths or go to the toilet and don’t wash our hands, we’ve likely got bacteria from these places on our hands which can then transfer to other things – and subsequently to other people. If those individuals are more susceptible to infection than you are, there may be a problem.”
Champs Public Health Collaborative, based in Merseyside, is reinforcing the message to keep up frequent hand washing practices. This encouragement came as part of the wider Simple Things campaign, which was launched following a survey that showed two-thirds of the public’s growing concern over infectious disease spread this winter.
The campaign advocates for four protective actions: regular hand washing, cleaning surfaces, maintaining distance if feeling unwell, and covering mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
Prof Matt Ashton, the director of public health for Liverpool, has delivered a stark reminder about the importance of hand hygiene, especially when visiting vulnerable individuals.
He warned: “Our results showed that there are multiple bacteria living on objects that we touch every single day. These bacteria are completely invisible to the naked eye – surfaces may look clean but can be covered in bacteria.
“But there are simple things we can do to prevent the spread of them and stop the transfer completing its cycle. This is particularly important if you are visiting vulnerable relatives in hospitals and care homes, for example.”
Prof Ashton added: “Hospital admissions for illnesses like norovirus and flu always spike at this time of year, but we can take steps to reduce how quickly germs transfer from one person to another, by simply keeping our hands clean – washing them after going to the bathroom and before and after.”