The shower head retains and accumulates, over time, mycobacteria responsible, among other things, for the development of sometimes fatal lung infections.
When you tackle your bathroom, you generally don’t skimp on cleaning and disinfectant products. Floors, sinks, shelves, mirrors, windows… you name it. However, one place systematically escapes our vigilance: the shower head. And great harm to us, according to a new study, published in mBio.
Water vapour
Although it only comes into contact with water, the shower head retains and accumulates, over time, mycobacteria responsible, among other things, for the development of sometimes fatal lung infections (non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease ( MNT). which transports bacteria from the showerhead to the lungs.
To reach these conclusions, scientists last year analyzed the DNA of more than 650 showerheads used in the United States and 13 European countries. DNA sequencing was used to determine which species of bacteria were the most abundant.
Plastic shower heads
The researchers found that the deadly mycobacteria were more often present in the showers of urban American households than in Europeans. Surprisingly, households whose water was treated with chlorine disinfectants had particularly high numbers of mycobacteria.
“There’s a fascinating microbial world that thrives in your showerhead, and you can be exposed to it every time you wash,” said research director Noah Fierer. “This kind of research helps us understand how water treatment and the materials in our plumbing can change the composition of these microbial communities,” he adds. His team found more mycobacteria in metal showerheads than in plastic showerheads.
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