噴氣式烘手機的衛(wèi)生程度遠低于傳統(tǒng)紙巾

Jet hand dryers spread dangerous bacteria around bathrooms and are significantly less hygienic than traditional paper towels, scientists have found.

科研人員日前發(fā)現(xiàn)，噴氣式烘手機會在衛(wèi)生間內(nèi)傳播危險的細菌，衛(wèi)生程度遠低于傳統(tǒng)的紙巾。

An international study in hospitals established that modern dryers create an aerosol effect, blasting E. Coli as well as traces of faeces and the bacteria responsible for septicaemia onto surfaces.

一項在醫(yī)院內(nèi)進行的國際研究證實，現(xiàn)代烘手機會產(chǎn)生一種霧化效果，將大腸桿菌、微量排泄物和引發(fā)敗血癥的細菌吹到物品表面上。

While the devices can often be activated without being touched, which is supposed to improve hygiene, they are problematic because people fail to properly wash their hands, the experts said.

專家稱，雖然這種設(shè)備通?？梢圆挥檬钟|摸便自行啟動--這本應(yīng)提高衛(wèi)生度--但由于人們沒有以恰當?shù)姆绞较词?，這些設(shè)備還是會帶來問題。

This leaves harmful bacteria on the surface of the skin ready to be blown around the room.

不以恰當?shù)姆绞较词謺谄つw表面留下有害細菌，它們會被吹到房間各處。

By contrast, paper towels absorb the bugs better, preventing other people from becoming exposed to them.

相比之下，紙巾能更好地吸收細菌，避免其他人受到污染。

Published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, the study, the largest of its kind, was partly carried out at Leeds General Infirmary.

該研究發(fā)表在英國《醫(yī)院感染雜志》上，是同類研究中規(guī)模最大的，部分研究工作是在利茲綜合醫(yī)院進行的。

Department of Health guidance says air dryers should only be placed in public rather than clinical areas of the hospital, but only because of concerns around the noise.

衛(wèi)生部指導(dǎo)稱，烘手機應(yīng)當只放置在公共場所而不是醫(yī)院的臨床區(qū)域，但這樣做僅僅是因為擔(dān)心噪音。

The study authors wrote the rules on the use of jet dryers need to be strengthened on the in the light of the new evidence.

這項研究的作者寫道，根據(jù)新的證據(jù)，使用烘手機的規(guī)則需要加強。

"The problem starts because some people do not wash their hands properly," said Professor Mark Wilcox, who led the study at the University of Leeds. "When people use a jet air dryer, the microbes get blown off and spread around the toilet room."

研究帶頭人、利茲大學(xué)的馬克·威爾科克斯教授說：“會出現(xiàn)這一問題是因為人們不好好洗手。當人們使用噴氣式烘手機時，微生物被吹走，彌漫到衛(wèi)生間各處。”

"In effect, the dryer creates an aerosol that contaminates the toilet room, including the dryer itself and potentially the sinks, floor and other surfaces, depending on the dryer design and where it is sited. If people touch those surfaces, they risk becoming contaminated by bacteria or viruses."

“事實上，烘手機會產(chǎn)生一種噴霧，污染衛(wèi)生間各處，包括烘手機本身以及水池、地板和其他表面，這取決于烘手機的設(shè)計和安放位置。如果人們接觸這些表面，他們可能會被細菌或病毒污染。”

The study looked at bacterial spread in a real world setting -- in two toilets in each of three hospitals, which were in the UK, France and Italy.

這項研究分析了真實世界中的細菌傳播場景--科研人員在三家醫(yī)院各選擇了兩間衛(wèi)生間，這三家醫(yī)院分別位于英國、法國和意大利。

Each of the toilets had paper towel dispensers and jet air dryers, but only one of these was in use on any given day.

每個衛(wèi)生間都有紙巾取用器和噴氣式烘手機，但在特定的一天只有一臺設(shè)備可用。

On each day, over 12 weeks, levels of bacterial contamination in the toilets were measured, allowing comparisons to be made when either paper towels or jet air dryers were in use.

在超過12周的試驗期內(nèi)，每一天，科研人員都會測量衛(wèi)生間內(nèi)細菌污染水平，將使用紙巾和使用噴氣式烘手機的情況進行對比。

Samples were taken from the floors, air and surfaces in each of the toilets. The main target bacteria were Enterobacteria including Escherichia coli or E.coli, which cause a wide range of infections including gastroenteritis, pneumonia and septicaemia, and enterococci -- bacteria that can cause difficulty when treating infections.

科研人員從每個衛(wèi)生間的地板、空氣和物品表面取樣。他們瞄準的細菌主要是包括大腸桿菌(它們會引發(fā)廣泛的感染，包括腸胃炎、肺炎和敗血癥等)和腸球菌(有這種細菌存在便很難治療感染)在內(nèi)的腸細菌。

They also looked for Staphylococcus aureus, which is responsible for a range of conditions, from minor skin and wound infections to life-threatening septicaemia.

科研人員還試圖尋找金黃色葡萄球菌，該細菌會引發(fā)一系列疾病，包括較輕微的皮膚和傷口感染和危及生命的敗血癥。

Across the three hospitals, bacterial counts were significantly higher in the toilets on the days that jet air dryers were in use.

在三家醫(yī)院中，衛(wèi)生間的細菌數(shù)在使用噴氣式烘手機時都明顯要多一些。

"We found multiple examples of greater bacterial contamination on surfaces, including by faecal and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, when jet air dryers rather than paper towels were in use," Professor Wilcox said.

威爾科克斯教授表示：“我們發(fā)現(xiàn)許多在使用噴氣式烘手機時表面細菌污染更嚴重的例子，包括腸球菌和多重抗藥性細菌，明顯比使用紙巾時多。”