Jet air hand dryers in hospital toilets spread more germs than disposable paper towels (PTs) and should not be used, say researchers.
Writing in the Journal of Hospital Infection, they argue that the official guidance about how to prevent bacterial contamination in hospital buildings needs to be strengthened.
In a multicentre, internal-crossover study, the researchers comparing bacterial contamination levels in washrooms with hand-drying by either PT or jet air dryer (JAD). A total of 120 sampling sessions occurred over 12 weeks in hospitals in the United Kingdom, France and Italy.
The data showed that total bacterial recovery from JAD was significantly greater vs PT dispenser surfaces at all sites (P<.0001). In the United Kingdom and France, significantly more bacteria were recovered from JAD washroom floors (P<.00001).
In the United Kingdom, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus recovery was 3-times more frequent and 6-fold higher for JAD vs PT surfaces (both P<.0001). UK methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA) recovery from JAD was 3-times more frequent versus PT surfaces or floors. Significantly more enterococci and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing bacteria were recovered from UK JAD vs PT washroom floors (P<.0001).
"The problem starts because some people do not wash their hands properly,” explained co-author, Mark Wilcox, Professor of Medical Microbiology at the University of Leeds. "When people use a jet air dryer, the microbes get blown off and spread around the toilet room.
"In effect, the dryer creates an aerosol that contaminates the toilet room, including the dryer itself and potentially the sinks, floor and other surfaces, depending on the dryer design and where it is sited,” he said.
The findings support recent French which discourage the use of JADs in clinical wards.
