The washing routine may seem safe, but new evidence indicates that such a common gesture as placing uniforms on the washing machine may be contributing to a silent and growing public health problem: not eliminating resistant bacteria.
Hidden risk in domestic appliances
According to a study of the UK, half of the washing machines used in the domestic context may not be able to eliminate dangerous bacteria of tissues. The investigation evaluated the effectiveness of six models available on the market in decontamination of uniforms of health professionals.
According to the same source, the tests focused on Bacteria Enterococcus faecium, resistant to antibiotics and potentially causing serious infections such as endocarditis and neonatal meningitis. The investigators tested different cycles, fast and normal, using detergents with and without enzymes.
Temperatures below the recommended
According to the study, none of the machines reached 60 ° C recommended by the British National Health Service for effective hygiene of uniforms, even in normal cycles.
Four models reached 56-58 ° C and managed to eliminate 99.999% of bacteria. But one of the machines did not exceed 20 ° C and completely failed in decontamination.
During the quick cycles, three of the six machines did not exceed 44 ° C. The results show that short cycles, often used by convenience, are insufficient to eradicate resistant microorganisms.
Biofilms with dangerous bacteria
In addition to failures in decontamination tests, researchers found bacterial biofilms within 12 machines.
The analyzes revealed the presence of bacteria such as acineobacter, pseudomonas and mycobacterium, associated with diseases such as pneumonia, skin infections and even tuberculosis.
According to researchers, these microorganisms not only resist washing but have antibiotic resistance genes. Prolonged exposure to household detergents may even reinforce this resistance, making them more difficult to eliminate.
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Home washed uniforms can be a risk to everyone
The authors of the study warn that the uniforms of health professionals, often washed at home, can transport lethal bacteria to the home environment. With about 22 million professionals in Europe working in health institutions, this risk assumes significant proportions.
Professor Katie Laird, responsible for the investigation, argues that trusting exclusively on domestic machines is insufficient. The study states that one should “rethink the way we wash the clothing of health professionals” and implement more stringent hygiene protocols.
Industrial machines in hospitals can be a solution
The group of investigators proposes that health institutions provide their own industrial laundries, with appropriate machines to reach the necessary temperatures.
According to the same source, the responsibility of cleaning should not only fall on workers, which do not always have adequate means at home.
This would help to avoid cross -contamination and protect both professionals and their families.
An invisible and growing threat
The study reinforces the role that routine practices, such as washing clothes, can play in the dissemination of drug -resistant bacteria.
At a time when hospital infections remain one of the biggest concerns of public health, the data now revealed launch a warning that should not be ignored.
If effective measures are not adopted, the authors fear that these bacteria continue to continue to propagate in a silent way, endangering patients, professionals and the general community.
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