噴氣式烘手機好不好？研究稱其衛生程度遠低於傳統紙巾
Jet hand dryers spread dangerous bacteria around bathrooms and are significantly less hygienic than traditional paper towels, scientists have found.
科研人員發現，噴氣式烘手機會在衛生間內傳播危險的細菌，衛生程度遠低於傳統的紙巾。
An international study in hospitals established that modern dryers create an aerosol effect, blasting E. Coli as well as traces of faeces and the bacteria responsible for septicaemia onto surfaces.
一項在醫院內進行的國際研究證實，現代烘手機會產生一種霧化效果，將大腸桿菌、微量排洩物和引發敗血症的細菌吹到物品表面上。
While the devices can often be activated without being touched, which is supposed to improve hygiene, they are problematic because people fail to properly wash their hands, the experts said.
專家說，雖然這種設備通常可以不用手觸摸便自行啟動——這本應提高衛生度——但由於人們沒有以恰當的方式洗手，這些設備還是會帶來問題。
This leaves harmful bacteria on the surface of the skin ready to be blown around the room.
不以恰當的方式洗手會在皮膚表面留下有害細菌，它們會被吹到房間各處。
By contrast, paper towels absorb the bugs better, preventing other people from becoming exposed to them.
相比之下，紙巾能更好地吸收細菌，避免其他人受到汙染。
Published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, the study, the largest of its kind, was partly carried out at Leeds General Infirmary.
該研究發表在英國《醫院感染雜誌》上，是同類研究中規模最大的，部分研究工作是在利茲綜合醫院進行的。
Department of Health guidance says air dryers should only be placed in public rather than clinical areas of the hospital, but only because of concerns around the noise.
衛生部指導說，烘手機應當只放置在公共場所而不是醫院的臨床區域，但這樣做僅僅是因為擔心噪音。
The study authors wrote the rules on the use of jet dryers need to be strengthened on the in the light of the new evidence.
這項研究的作者寫道，根據新的證據，使用烘手機的規則需要加強。
"The problem starts because some people do not wash their hands properly,」 said Professor Mark Wilcox, who led the study at the University of Leeds.
研究帶頭人、利茲大學的馬克.威爾科克斯教授說：「會出現這一問題是因為人們不好好洗手。」
"When people use a jet air dryer, the microbes get blown off and spread around the toilet room.
「當人們使用噴氣式烘手機時，微生物被吹走，瀰漫到衛生間各處。」
"In effect, the dryer creates an aerosol that contaminates the toilet room, including the dryer itself and potentially the sinks, floor and other surfaces, depending on the dryer design and where it is sited.
「事實上，烘手機會產生一種噴霧，汙染衛生間各處，包括烘手機本身以及水池、地板和其他表面，這取決於烘手機的設計和安放位置。」
「If people touch those surfaces, they risk becoming contaminated by bacteria or viruses.」
「如果人們接觸這些表面，他們可能會被細菌或病毒汙染。」
The study looked at bacterial spread in a real world setting - in two toilets in each of three hospitals, which were in the UK, France and Italy.
這項研究分析了真實世界中的細菌傳播場景——科研人員在三家醫院各選擇了兩間衛生間，這三家醫院分別位於英國、法國和義大利。
Each of the toilets had paper towel dispensers and jet air dryers, but only one of these was in use on any given day.
每個衛生間都有紙巾取用器和噴氣式烘手機，但在特定的一天只有一臺設備可用。
On each day, over 12 weeks, levels of bacterial contamination in the toilets were measured, allowing comparisons to be made when either paper towels or jet air dryers were in use.
在超過12周的試驗期內，每一天，科研人員都會測量衛生間內細菌汙染水平，將使用紙巾和使用噴氣式烘手機的情況進行對比。
Samples were taken from the floors, air and surfaces in each of the toilets.
科研人員從每個衛生間的地板、空氣和物品表面取樣。
The main target bacteria were Enterobacteria including Escherichia coli or E.coli, which cause a wide range of infections including gastroenteritis, pneumonia and septicaemia, and enterococci - bacteria that can cause difficulty when treating infections.
他們瞄準的細菌主要是包括大腸桿菌（它們會引發廣泛的感染，包括腸胃炎、肺炎和敗血症等）和腸球菌（有這種細菌存在便很難治療感染）在內的腸細菌。
They also looked for Staphylococcus aureus, which is responsible for a range of conditions, from minor skin and wound infections to life-threatening septicaemia.
科研人員還試圖尋找金黃色葡萄球菌，該細菌會引發一系列疾病，包括較輕微的皮膚和傷口感染和危及生命的敗血症。
Across the three hospitals, bacterial counts were significantly higher in the toilets on the days that jet air dryers were in use.
在三家醫院中，衛生間的細菌數在使用噴氣式烘手機時都明顯要多一些。
Professor Wilcox: "We found multiple examples of greater bacterial contamination on surfaces, including by faecal and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, when jet air dryers rather than paper towels were in use.」
威爾科克斯教授說，「我們發現許多在使用噴氣式烘手機時表面細菌汙染更嚴重的例子，包括腸球菌和多重抗藥性細菌，明顯比使用紙巾時多。」