Hands-free electronic taps hinder infection control

摘要

A study of hands-free taps at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, US, has found that they are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria than old-style fixtures with separate handles for hot and cold water. "Newer is not necessarily better, especially when it comes to warding off potential hazards from water-borne bacteria, such as Legionella species," said Lisa Maragakis, senior study investigator and director of hospital epidemiology and infection control at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Although the high-tech taps, which are equipped with electronic-eye sensors to detect hands and dispense preset amounts of water, cut daily water consumption by over 50%, Johns Hopkins researchers identified Legionella growing in 50% of cultured water samples from 20 electronic-eye taps in or near patient rooms, but in only 15% of water cultures from 20 traditional taps in the same areas.