A study led by Katie LairdProfessor of Microbiology and Head of the Infectious Diseases Research Group at the University of Montfort (United Kingdom), raises whether washing machines can influence the propagation of dangerous microbes.
Intrahospital infections are a frequent problem in public health because they usually involve antibiotic resistant bacteria. Recent works have shown that these can be transmitted through the clothes.
Inappropriate washing
In the study published in the magazine PLOS ONE The scientists evaluated six models of domestic washing machines and their decontamination capacity in different types of washing programs on our pathogens.
The result of applying hot water next to a quick cycle was that half of the machines They did not disinfect The clothes. While, by applying a standard cycle, one third of the garments were not cleaned enough.
The team also took biofilms from the interior of 12 washing machines. The sequencing of its DNA revealed the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes.
Observations showed that these microorganisms can develop detergent resistance domestic, which in turn increased its resistance to certain of these drugs.
“If detergents are used at lower levels to those necessary to kill bacteria (for example, an upper dose), these microorganisms are exposed to a level of detergent to which they can become resistant,” he explains to Sinc Laird.
“The mechanisms that bacteria develop to resist detergent can also confer them Cross resistance to antibiotics, ”says the researcher.
Rethink washing protocols
Together, the findings suggest that many domestic washing machines can be insufficient to decontaminate the uniforms of health personnel. For this reason, they may be contributing to the propagation of infections acquired in the hospital and resistance to antibiotics.
As a solution, researchers propose that Check the guidelines Washing given to health workers in order to ensure that domestic washing machines effectively clean.
At the same time, they also propose that medical care centers have industrial machines in their facilities to wash uniforms. Thus, patient safety could be improved and controlled the spread of pathogens.
According to the main author of the study, this type of washing devices are monitored to ensure that disinfection levels are met. “All bedding and medical uniforms are washed industrially in the United Kingdom; only the uniforms of nursing They are washed domesticly, ”emphasizes the same researcher.
The authors add: “Our research shows that conventional washing machines often They do not disinfect Textiles, which allows antibiotic resistant bacteria to survive ”
“If we take the transmission of infectious diseases through textiles seriously, we must rethink how we wash the clothes of our health workers,” he concludes.
Reference:
Cayrou C, Silver K, Owen L, Dunlop J, Laird K. “House textile domestic washing: efficiency of disinfection and risks of transmission of antibiotic resistance transmission.” PLOS ONE (2025)
Fuente: SINC
