Assessment of the bacterial contamination of hand air dryer in washrooms |
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Authors: | Sulaiman Ali Alharbi Saleh Hussein Salmen Arunachalam Chinnathambi Naiyf S Alharbi ME Zayed Bassam O Al-Johny Milton Wainwright |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;2. Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science – King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia;3. Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, S102TN, UK |
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Abstract: | The present study was carried out, using standard techniques, to identify and count the bacterial contamination of hand air dryers, used in washrooms. Bacteria were isolated from the air flow, outlet nozzle of warm air dryers in fifteen air dryers used in these washrooms. Bacteria were found to be relatively numerous in the air flows. Bacterially contaminated air was found to be emitted whenever a warm air dryer was running, even when not being used for hand drying. Our investigation shows that Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Bacillus cereus and Brevundimonad diminuta/vesicularis were emitted from all of the dryers sampled, with 95% showing evidence of the presence of the potential pathogen S. haemolyticus. It is concluded that hot air dryers can deposit pathogenic bacteria onto the hands and body of users. Bacteria are distributed into the general environment whenever dryers are running and could be inhaled by users and none-users alike. The results provide an evidence base for the development and enhancement of hygienic hand drying practices. |
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Keywords: | Hand air dryers Contamination Bacterial pathogens Washrooms |
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