STORRS, CONNECTICUT — Colonies of fecal bacteria have been found in air from restroom hand dryers, according to new research.
The University of Connecticut study found bacteria blasted from hand dryers in 36 bathrooms within the institution's School of Medicine building.
The research, published in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, found traces of the harmless lab-made PS533 and Staphylococcus aureus. The latter is associated with infections. The study's lead author told Newsweek the PS533 bacteria traveled from a lab through the air.
Researchers also applied their test to restroom hand dryers with HEPA filters, but found that 25 percent of bacteria were still present.
