Microorganisms to glasses a health risk?
Many people rely on glasses, to impaired vision compensate. Glasses count, but also to the everyday objects with a particularly high microbial load, and this may pose a health risk. What areas of the glasses are particularly contaminated, and what germs are to be found here, has been investigated in a recent study.
Almost every second European is wearing a pair of glasses, and as a result of the exposed Position in the middle of the face, the proximity to the mouth and nose, as well as the frequent skin contact, in particular by the hands that are contaminated glasses demonstrably clear with micro-organisms, reports a research team from the University of Furtwangen, University of Tübingen, Germany, and the Carl Zeiss Vision International GmbH. For the first time, the bacterial colonization of worn glasses had been studied in a molecular biological study. Published the results in the journal “Scientific Reports”.
First molecular biological study
In the context of the study, the researchers 30 worn glasses with the help of molecular-biological studies on their bacterial load checked. “Since many of the bacteria currently not cultivated, allow molecular biological methods, completely new insights into the colonization of everyday objects such as glasses,” says study leader Prof. Dr. Markus Egert of Furtwangen University, the procedure.
Glasses most
The researchers analyzed glasses, the bacterial colonization of the glasses each of the glasses, the earhooks and the nose pads and they were able to demonstrate 5.232 different types and 665 genera of bacteria, reports the University of Furtwangen. The lowest load was observed on the nose pads, the highest on the glasses.
Especially skin and mucous membrane bacteria
The researchers suggest that the skin, especially ” – and mucous membrane bacteria, the skin on the face, hands, or the mouth and the nose directed to the glasses (as Cutibakterien, Corynebacterium or Staphylococcus)”, to be found. On the glasses they get clean, for example, when you Breathe or by breathing on the lenses in the Glasses.
The threat of infections, even in the eye area
“Just on the glasses, a typical environment could be found but germs, such as Pseudomonas, which can be reached from the air there,” reported the research team. In addition, more than 80 percent of the 13 most commonly identified species were pathogenic “potentially and can cause in susceptible people infections in the eye area”, the communication from the Hochschule Furtwangen University.
Glasses clean regularly and thoroughly
The demonstrated bacterial load also makes clear the importance of regular, thorough cleaning of the glasses. In previous studies, the working group established by Prof. Egert that the bacterial load on glasses cloths by a wet cleaning, such as with glasses cleaning to approximately 95 per cent can be reduced, so the Hochschule Furtwangen University.
With water and dishwashing detergent, also corona virus can be removed
“A wet cleaning with alcohol or surfactant-containing glasses cleaning cloths or simply with water and detergent is according to current knowledge, a reasonable strategy for the removal of Corona and other viruses on the glasses after you have had contact with coughing people,” says Professor Egert.
Better assessment of goggles as germ carriers
Furthermore, appropriate hygiene measures are offered also for people who have professionally a lot to do with glasses of foreign persons, such as Eye medical doctors or optics inside and opticians. The new study will deliver a comprehensive basis for a better assessment of goggles as germ carriers, especially in the clinical field, and now follow-up studies show the extent to which glasses a role as a germ reservoir in the case of recurring eye infections and the Transmission of antibiotic-could resist playing enter the bacteria, so the conclusion of the research team. (fp)
