The test were completed to determine if germs maybe on items from commonly touched objects and surfaces. The test determined if amounts of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) which indicates the presence of contamination by animal, vegetable, bacteria, yeast and molds. It is the same method used to monitor sanitary conditions in food and other related industries.Other items that contained Germy Surfaces:
Cellphones and PDAs
These electronic devices carry tons of bacteria including salmonella, Pseudomonas, and staph.
Public Soap Dispensers
About 25% of public bathroom dispenser are contaminated by fecal bacteria.
Airport Bathrooms
50% of people use the bathroom per flight and the bathrooms are rarely disinfected between flights. According to studies, the dirtiest areas are the door handles and the faucets.
"People do not realize the amount of contamination they are exposed to going to work each day and doing everyday things like filling their gas tank or riding on an escalator," Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, said in a statement. "This new testing is compelling because it underscores the importance of hand and surface hygiene. Most cold and flu viruses are spread because people touch surfaces in their immediate area and then touch their faces, other objects and other people. Washing and drying your hands frequently throughout the day, can help prevent your risk of getting sick or spreading illness around the office."
It seems there is such a thing as over doing it when it comes to hygiene. Studies have shown that too much cleanliness maybe linked to a poorer immune system. Called the hygiene hypothesis, the more sterile environment can lead to higher rates of illness because our bodies forget the everyday germs.
"A study published in a 2002 issue of JAMA concluded that children living in a house with two or more dogs or cats during their first year of life were much less likely to develop allergic diseases compared with children raised without pets. Allergies, like those toward pets, are a reaction by the body's immune system to foreign, yet generally innocuous, substances, including pollen, mold, animal dander, dust and certain foods that it deems harmful. If your immune system has never or rarely detected even the natural background level of such substances, it can go haywire when contact does occur." http://www.livescience.com/16787-germs-everyday-surfaces-infographic.html
Germs thrive on surfaces that have been touched, sneezed on or kept moist. Expect to get a cold when touching these frequently touched surfaces. Exposure to germs is a good thing, over time it helps establish a baseline for our bodies own immune system and it would be tough to survive without them. Do your part, wash your hands today!
Written by: Moldinspections-Sandiego.com
