Biology in the News Assignment The biology concepts presented in this course encourage you to make the connection between textbook biology and biology that appears in newspapers, periodicals, and th

Taking a shower may not always be a healthy thing, according to an article from Discovery News, entitled “Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads.” A team of researchers led by Norma Pace at University of Colorado at Boulder found that taking showers can actually be unhealthy for some people. They did research in nine American cities and found high concentrations of a tiny microbe called Mycobacterium avium in 45 showerheads. They also found a wide variety of other microorganisms growing in biofilms on the showerheads. M. avium is harmless unless it is aerosolized and inhaled. The researchers found the risk for healthy people is much lower than for the elderly, the immune-compromised, and people already suffering a pulmonary disease, such as emphysema. The study did not determine exactly how much bacteria is being aerosolized or inhaled. Replacing grimy showerheads with new metal ones or just taking a bath will help, but cleaning with bleach actually made the concentrations of M. avium higher. These bacteria are chlorine resistant, so the bleach only killed other organisms making more room for the dangerous bacteria to grow (Marshall, 2009).

Material from chapter two of our text helped me understand how the bacteria got into the lungs in the first place. Hot water turns into a vapor when sprayed into the air. The water is forced through the contaminated showerhead, and the bacteria mix with the water vapor. We breathe in the moist bacteria-filled air, and once the microorganisms are in the lungs, they can cause infection. As we learned in class, water is the universal solvent, meaning that many things easily disperse in water, including these bacteria apparently. Also, in lab, we have used microscopes to view bacteria and other cells. You can see every little dust particle and grain of sand under the microscopes, so it is not hard to believe that there are germs living everywhere; not only in our showerheads.

This article is important to me because I had no idea that so many germs could be growing in my showerhead. I know that bacteria can grow in warm, moist places, but I didn’t know that it could pose such a threat to my health. I am a relatively healthy person so I am not likely to contract an infection, but it does make me more aware about keeping the showerhead clean. My grandmother, on the other hand, may want to buy a new showerhead if she has had the same one for a while because the elderly are more prone to getting an infection. This is important information for doctors who treat patients who have respiratory illnesses, as their patients could potentially be taking dirty showers, putting their health at even greater risk. Shower heads in hospitals and nursing homes should regularly be inspected for microorganisms and replaced frequently to insure that patients do not take unnecessary risks just by taking showers. If I were in change, I would make sure that this information is widely distributed to ensure those at risk and their caregivers know the problem so they can take action to protect themselves, their patients and loved ones.

Reference:

Marshall, Jessica. “Dangerous Pathogens Live in Showerheads.” Discovery News. September 14, 2009. http://news.discovery.com/human/showerhead-pathogens-disease-bacteria.html

Starr, Cecie. “Biology: Concepts and Applications” 7th ed. Mason, Ohio. 2008.