One of the legacies of the Covid pandemic is an increased awareness of microbes. Many bacteria and viruses lurk on surfaces we touch everyday.
Most are harmless, but a few of these bugs can make us seriously ill.
Writing in The Conversation recently, Dr Manal Mohammed, senior lecturer in Medical Microbiology at the University of Westminister, looked at how some of the dirtiest items in our lives are ones we might least expect. With many of us travelling during the summer months, she highlighted the hidden dangers of items, such as hotel TV remote controls and airport security trays.
I was surprised to read that hotel remote controls can be dirtier than toilet seats. Then again, they are rarely sanitised, with research showing they harbour common bacteria including E. coli and Staph. aureus.
So, how can we protect ourselves from becoming infected?
We can either wipe the remote with an antibacterial wipe or place the remote in a transparent plastic bag before using it.
Airport security trays are another source of potential infection. Despite being handled by hundreds of people daily, they are rarely cleaned. Research has found high levels of bacteria on the trays, including E. coli. And a study that looked for viruses on surfaces found in airports found that security trays had the highest concentration of respiratory viruses.
Dr Niina Ikonen, a virology expert, and colleagues from the University of Nottingham and the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare collected surface and air samples from Helsinki-Vantaa airport.
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Some 20 million passengers pass through Finland’s busiest airport every year, making contact with surfaces such as armrests, escalator handrails, toys in the children’s play area, trolley handles and luggage trays. Researchers swabbed these surfaces and tested them for viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and coronavirus.
The results showed viruses were present on 10 per cent of the surfaces examined, with rhinoviruses – the culprit for the common cold – the most widespread. And while plastic security trays had the highest concentration of viruses, perhaps the most unusual positive swab location was the buttons on the credit card payment pad at the airport pharmacy.
In terms of protection, either wash your hands after security or use hand sanitiser, especially before eating or touching your face.
Shopping trolley handles are another potential source of infection. A US study found that more than 70 per cent of shopping trolleys were contaminated with coliform bacteria, a group that includes strains like E. coli, often linked to faecal contamination. A separate study found Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas species on trolleys.
It would help if we could get into the habit of cleaning shopping trolley handles before use.
Mobile phones have become a big part of travel, with airlines encouraging us to display boarding cards on their screens. Frequent handling and their warmth make them ideal for bacterial contamination.
Research shows phones can carry harmful bacteria including Staph. aureus. Mohammed advises not using our phones in bathrooms and to clean them with a slightly damp microfibre cloth and soap.
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When we are on the move, staying in hotels or Air BnBs, we have to use unfamiliar bathrooms. It’s worth being careful how we store our toothbrushes in each new location as flushing a toilet releases a plume of microscopic droplets, which can land on nearby toothbrushes.
Research found that toothbrushes stored in bathrooms can harbour E. coli, Staph. aureus and other microbes. If we rinse the toothbrush after each use, let it air-dry upright and store as far from the toilet as possible, we can protect ourselves from this source of microbes.
Finally, take care if sharing nail and beauty tools with your travel companions. Nail clippers, cuticle pushers and other grooming tools can spread harmful bacteria if they’re not properly cleaned.
We can’t avoid all germs. But with a few good habits you can help protect yourself and others.
mhouston@irishtimes.com