Shower heads may be deadly
An American study has found that shower heads can be a deadly breeding ground for bacteria and can harbour serious levels of a pathogen which is common in city water systems but can be 100 times more concentrated in a shower.
Microbiologist Norman Pace, of the University of Colorado, said that “if you are getting a face full of water when you first turn your shower on that means you are probably getting a particularly high load of Mycobacterium avium which may not be too healthy”.
Research at the National Jewish Hospital in Denver found increases in pulmonary infections from so-called “non-tuberculosis” mycobacteria species that could be linked to people taking more showers and fewer baths. This was because water spurting from shower heads could distribute pathogen-filled droplets that are easily inhaled into the lungs.
The study suggested that immune-compromised people such as the elderly and pregnant women, were most at risk of developing the pulmonary disease caused by M.avium. The symptoms include tiredness, a persistent dry cough, weakness, and shortness of breath.
