Dangers lurk in your handbasin
Inpatient stays are shortening to save on hospital costs. But what is the cost to your health of going home early?
If you are convalescing at home, or just want to avoid getting sick, then don’t take your bathroom handbasin for granted. It could be the source of an infection that leads to hospitalisation.
A Flinders University study compared home handbasins with those found in hospitals to assess infection risks and contamination paths.
Home handbasins were found to be “hotspots for dangerous microbes” and other pathogens that could be the cause of pneumonia, Legionnaires’ disease, and wound infections.
“This research shows that handbasins may be playing a significant and underestimated role in healthcare-associated infections,” said Associate Professor Harriet Whiley, from the College of Science and Engineering and ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research and Innovation.
Disturbingly, more Legionella bacteria, which cause Legionnaires’ disease, were found in home basins than in hospitals.
The Legionella bacteria can be found in natural bodies of water, spas, warm water systems, potting mix, and air-conditioning.
A system that used water for cooling was linked to a large outbreak in Melbourne recently, affecting almost 90 people and causing two deaths.
A biofilm is that slimy substance found on drains and around the tap of handbasins. It contains a community of microbes including disease-causing pathogens.
Hospital handbasins were found to have cleaner biofilms, which is not surprising as you’d expect them to be cleaned often and with stricter infection-control practices.
The findings don’t bode well for people receiving health care at home, which is becoming more common amid moves to reduce the duration of hospital stays.
“Patients receiving healthcare in the home need to be informed of infection-control practices such as cleaning handbasin outlets and drains using effective disinfectants,” lead researcher Claire Hayward said.
“Biofilms formed in the faucet [tap] and drains of handbasins can potentially harbour pathogenic microbes and increase the rise of antimicrobial resistance.”
The researchers also advise that hospitals need more control guidelines to manage these “under-recognised areas of potential infection”.
The Australian Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Infection in Healthcare provides useful advice on cleaning.
It recommends cleaning handbasins, and other high touch surfaces such as light switches, doorknobs, and bedrails, up to twice a day with detergent.
Related reading: Flinders University
