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In airplanes and trains, travelers are faced with a significant threat – bacterial infection. Scientists from the USA and Europe have proven that the most dangerous bacteria, including MRSA strains, survive on seats and their armrests as well as in luggage compartments.
Is travel by public transport really safe? A team of scientists from Auburn University, led by Dr. Kiril Vaglenova, decided to explore this problem.
First, a team of researchers examined planes from regional and international flights at airports in the southern US states. Despite existing cleaning and cleaning procedures for machines after flights (especially intercontinental flights), bacteria were found on the headrests and armrests of passenger seats. They were mainly Escherichia coli of different strains; mostly harmless, but there is also a strain responsible for food poisoning, e.g. in ice cream parlors that prepare their own ice cream. Small concentrations of Enterococcus faecalis bacteria were also found on the toilet handles, which proves that standard cleaning procedures for these rooms are not sufficient or are carried out carelessly. Small clusters of E. coli were also found on the armrests and headrests of the pilots’ seats.
MRSA is experiencing the best
Such research results led scientists to set out to tackle the problem of bacterial survival in airplanes that conduct intercontinental communication. This segment of air traffic was decided on due to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which consider intercontinental air traffic to be one of the most important risk factors for the transmission of viral epidemics (air traffic is responsible, among others, for spreading the SARS epidemic across the American subcontinent and its cases in Europe).
As research has shown, the risk of disease transmission and infection of passengers during flights is significant, although its source does not have to be the sick people currently on board.
Many travelers are worried about the risk of contracting a disease from their fellow passengers, because they spend several hours together in the same air-conditioned cabin. Often this fear is justified, but our research has shown that the source of the infection is not where the fear is, said Dr. Kiril Vaglenov in his description of the study.
The Vaglenov group examined the survival of various bacterial strains in the conditions of passenger cabins with carelessly conducted cleaning and cleaning operations of the machine. Scientists examined armrests and headrests of passenger seats, leather crew and VIP seats and their upholstery, window curtains, metal toilet buttons and door handles, fold-out tables for passenger seats and luggage lockers
The results were overwhelming: under these conditions, the most dangerous bacteria do best. The antibiotic-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) proved to be particularly resistant. This strain is responsible for the most dangerous peri-hospital infections (e.g. in postoperative blocks), which often lead to death. The runner-up was the most dangerous strain of Escherichia coli – E. coli O157: H7. It is responsible for haemolytic uremic syndrome, ending in acute renal failure in young children, and acute urinary tract infections.
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) lasted the longest in the pockets of passenger seats – 168 hours. After this period, the bacteria were still viable and infectious. In turn, the E. coli O157: H7 strain survived for 96 hours on the armrests. As Dr. Vaglenov stated, both strains of bacteria after that time could have been transferred by skin contact and were capable of contamination. Interestingly, the results of the research mean that the probability of infection of a passenger traveling by plane from another sick passenger is small – it can only occur through the toilet and door handles. On the other hand, the sick and infected leave bacteria on the backrests and armrests, which can be passed on to other passengers. Hand luggage can also be a source of infection.
Our next research will be to determine how bacteria of all types in airplanes can be permanently eradicated and to develop standards for disinfecting machines after flights, especially intercontinental ones. It will also be necessary to test materials with antibacterial properties. Perhaps it is from them that some elements of the passenger compartment can be made and thus the risk of bacterial transmission can be reduced, said Dr. Vaglenov.
In the Polish Euro-plane they disinfect planes, but in Greece they do not disinfect trains
As Karolina Bursa, spokesman of Eurolot SA, said MedOnet, the procedures for cleaning airplanes, disinfection and removal of fungal spores and bacterial spores are also carried out in airplanes of this line, and the problem of bacteria removal is known to us and we cooperate on this matter with Sanepid.
We currently have 11 Bombardier Q400 NextGen planes in the fleet, the interior of which is thoroughly cleaned once a month – including the flight deck, cafeteria, toilets and trunks. During this type of cleaning (the so-called deep cleaning) activities related to the removal of viruses and fungi are included. In addition, if such a necessity arises after the cruise, the plane is also thoroughly cleaned by us. Cleaning is carried out by a professional aircraft cleaning company, which uses cleaners with appropriate aviation certificates – added Karolina Bursa.
However, as it turns out, the slogan traveling in the best conditions does not mean a safe journey also in ground means of transport. Similar to the team at Auburn University, an international team of scientists from France, Germany, the UK Britain, Spain, Italy, Sweden and Greece, he examined the microbiological safety in the fastest trains running on the tracks of Western Europe, among others. on French TVG. As in the tests conducted by scientists from the USA, the headrests and armrests of passenger seats, headrests and armrests of the crew and train drivers, lockers and pockets for hand luggage, folding tables, door handles for compartments and toilet handles and buttons were examined.
As the tests showed, clusters of bacteria were found in all tested trains. The greatest concentration was detected on the door handles and on the armrests of the passenger seats. The second important place where the bacteria were found were the hand luggage lockers, where the researchers found particularly favorable conditions for their long-term survival. Fortunately, no bacteria of particular virulence were found in all of the tagged strains – the most invasive were Enterococcus faecalis found in toilets and two Escherichia coli strains found on armrests and carry-on lockers. However, no bacteria of the E. coli O157: H7 strain were found.
According to the research, the lowest concentration of bacteria was found in Swedish and Italian high-speed trains, and the highest in Greek ones. In the French TGV the concentration of bacterial aggregates was defined as average.
Considering the enormous flow of travelers both at airports and in airplanes, it is not surprising that when we travel, we leave behind bacteria that inhabit our body, but also collect new stowaways from the environment. The main source of infections are those places that we most often touch with our hands, i.e. door handles, handrails and backrests. The presence of E.coli on the hands clearly indicates the lack of proper hygiene habits when using the toilet. Unfortunately, not only those who do not wash their hands when using the toilet are disadvantaged, but also those who wash. The mechanism is simple – after washing our hands, we touch the handle with clean hands, which was previously touched by someone who has not washed their hands. How to protect yourself against it? Bottles with disinfectants are a good solution, so you should wash your hands not only after using the toilet, but also before a meal, even if the smallest one. In this way, we will avoid transferring pathogenic bacteria inside, e.g. the mentioned E.coli. This is especially true for young children who like to touch many places. It is also important to wash your travel clothes as soon as possible after the trip. Similarly, it is worth spraying the suitcase with disinfectant after returning home from a trip – said MedTvoiLokony, Dr. Małgorzata Krzyżowska, virologist from the Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.