Are You Showering in Dangerous Germs?
Study Finds Many Shower Heads Have Potentially Harmful Bacteria

CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said on “The Early Show” Tuesday bacteria is all around us, and most don’t harm us. But, in a University of Colorado at Boulder study released this week, researchers analyzed the different kinds of bacteria found growing inside shower heads, and they were surprised at what they found.

Dr. Norman Pace of the University of Colorado at Boulder, said, “The yuck factor is pretty high because so many of us are exposed to this.”

Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder examined shower heads taken from nine different cities, they discovered that many contained a form of bacteria that can be dangerous.

Pace said the shower heads contained mycobacterium avium. He said 30 to 40 percent of the shower heads tested had high levels and 80 percent had detectible levels of the bacteria.

Mycobacterium avium, Ashton said, isn’t considered to be harmful to most people, but researchers say exposure can be risky for anyone with a weakened immune system, including the elderly and some pregnant women.

Sorry, not giving up on the showers any time soon…have you ever tried washing your hair while taking a bath?

Laurel

Laurel,

I think I was eight the last time I was in a bath tube. Well they did say metal shower heads are better than plastic ones, more proof plastic is often unsanitary. Running the water for 90 second likely gets rid of any bacteria.  I doubt setting in dirty water is more sanitary, especially if the tub is not kept clean. The water where I live is so chlorinated it smells like clorox, I doubt much bacteria could survive in it, by the way city water is really nasty stuff.