Is There No High-Touch Surface in Hospitals Free of Microbial Contamination?
Swabs taken from coffeemakers in German hospital offices and break rooms, and in workers’ homes, tested positive for several important pathogens, researchers found. “Among the eight genera of ‘medically relevant’ Gram-negative species detected, 81% were found in coffeemakers at the hospital,” according to Sarah Victoria Walker, MD, of University Hospital Cologne in Germany, and colleagues. […]
Watercooler parts could be a source of organophosphate ester exposure
Watercoolers have become a staple in homes, offices and schools, but their tanks and parts are made of materials that could release unwanted or potentially harmful compounds into drinking water. In a preliminary study, researchers in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters report that organophosphate esters (OPEs) were found in water dispensed from these systems, […]