Hands-Free Faucets May Spread More Germs Than Manual Taps

About 50% of the water samples from the electronic faucets tested positive for legionella and other bacteria, while only 15% of the samples from the manual faucets did.

They include various valves, screens and filters designed to prevent backflow of hot or cold water to the wrong pipe, and all that machinery provides the perfect nesting ground for bacteria and other pathogens.

That's because hospitalized patients are more likely to have compromised immune systems, whether they are being treated for cancer or undergoing an organ transplant.

But before you start looking askance at all the hands-free faucets in public restrooms, the study's co-investigator, Dr. Emily Sydnor, a fellow in infectious diseases at Hopkins, notes that the growths she found would not pose a health risk for most healthy individuals.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

That's because hospitalized patients are more likely to have compromised immune systems, whether they are being treated for cancer or undergoing an organ transplant.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

Gregory Bova, senior engineer at the hospital, says it's the plumbing.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

But before you start looking askance at all the hands-free faucets in public restrooms, the study's co-investigator, Dr. Emily Sydnor, a fellow in infectious diseases at Hopkins, notes that the growths she found would not pose a health risk for most healthy individuals.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

Still, in a hospital setting, the findings could be cause for alarm.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

While the plumbing for manual faucets is relatively straightforward, with a pipe each for hot and cold water feeding into the faucet, hands-free models are more complex.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

But before you start looking askance at all the hands-free faucets in public restrooms, the study's co-investigator, Dr. Emily Sydnor, a fellow in infectious diseases at Hopkins, notes that the growths she found would not pose a health risk for most healthy individuals.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

In fact, their study started out as a way to determine how often they should program the automatic faucets to run in order to flush out colonies in case they weren't used often enough.

It turns out the faucets were never that idle, but that they were a fertile location for legionella to take hold.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

About 50% of the water samples from the electronic faucets tested positive for legionella and other bacteria, while only 15% of the samples from the manual faucets did.

But it turns out that at least one pathogen-fighting strategy may actually be exposing us to more germs, rather than fewer.

Gregory Bova, senior engineer at the hospital, says it's the plumbing.

The water samples were taken from faucets located all over the hospital, including patient rooms, and no patients reported infections from the water.

While the plumbing for manual faucets is relatively straightforward, with a pipe each for hot and cold water feeding into the faucet, hands-free models are more complex.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

The water samples were taken from faucets located all over the hospital, including patient rooms, and no patients reported infections from the water.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

While the plumbing for manual faucets is relatively straightforward, with a pipe each for hot and cold water feeding into the faucet, hands-free models are more complex.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

But it turns out that at least one pathogen-fighting strategy may actually be exposing us to more germs, rather than fewer.

Still, in a hospital setting, the findings could be cause for alarm.

That's because hospitalized patients are more likely to have compromised immune systems, whether they are being treated for cancer or undergoing an organ transplant.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

In fact, their study started out as a way to determine how often they should program the automatic faucets to run in order to flush out colonies in case they weren't used often enough.

"The electronic faucets are in the process of being removed and the plan is to remove them from the existing hospital as well," says Sydnor.

While the plumbing for manual faucets is relatively straightforward, with a pipe each for hot and cold water feeding into the faucet, hands-free models are more complex.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

They include various valves, screens and filters designed to prevent backflow of hot or cold water to the wrong pipe, and all that machinery provides the perfect nesting ground for bacteria and other pathogens.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

They include various valves, screens and filters designed to prevent backflow of hot or cold water to the wrong pipe, and all that machinery provides the perfect nesting ground for bacteria and other pathogens.

They include various valves, screens and filters designed to prevent backflow of hot or cold water to the wrong pipe, and all that machinery provides the perfect nesting ground for bacteria and other pathogens.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

While the plumbing for manual faucets is relatively straightforward, with a pipe each for hot and cold water feeding into the faucet, hands-free models are more complex.

The water samples were taken from faucets located all over the hospital, including patient rooms, and no patients reported infections from the water.

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Why are the automatic faucets so bug-friendly?

Still, the amount of bacterial growth the researchers found wasn't enough for them to shun electronic faucets in public restrooms: in the public, non-patient care areas of the hospital, Sydnor and Bova say they're keeping the automatic model.

"And the order for 1,000 to 1,100 electronic faucets for clinical and patient care areas in the new building was recalled based on these findings."

That's because hospitalized patients are more likely to have compromised immune systems, whether they are being treated for cancer or undergoing an organ transplant.

Sydnor and Bova both acknowledge that the results surprised them.

"And the order for 1,000 to 1,100 electronic faucets for clinical and patient care areas in the new building was recalled based on these findings."

The water samples were taken from faucets located all over the hospital, including patient rooms, and no patients reported infections from the water.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

Still, the amount of bacterial growth the researchers found wasn't enough for them to shun electronic faucets in public restrooms: in the public, non-patient care areas of the hospital, Sydnor and Bova say they're keeping the automatic model.

Yes, the automatic faucets harbored more bugs than the manual ones, but that doesn't mean they'd make you sick.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

While the plumbing for manual faucets is relatively straightforward, with a pipe each for hot and cold water feeding into the faucet, hands-free models are more complex.

In fact, their study started out as a way to determine how often they should program the automatic faucets to run in order to flush out colonies in case they weren't used often enough.

But it turns out that at least one pathogen-fighting strategy may actually be exposing us to more germs, rather than fewer.

But it turns out that at least one pathogen-fighting strategy may actually be exposing us to more germs, rather than fewer.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

But it turns out that at least one pathogen-fighting strategy may actually be exposing us to more germs, rather than fewer.

"And the order for 1,000 to 1,100 electronic faucets for clinical and patient care areas in the new building was recalled based on these findings."

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

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In fact, their study started out as a way to determine how often they should program the automatic faucets to run in order to flush out colonies in case they weren't used often enough.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

In fact, their study started out as a way to determine how often they should program the automatic faucets to run in order to flush out colonies in case they weren't used often enough.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

The water samples were taken from faucets located all over the hospital, including patient rooms, and no patients reported infections from the water.

But it turns out that at least one pathogen-fighting strategy may actually be exposing us to more germs, rather than fewer.

They include various valves, screens and filters designed to prevent backflow of hot or cold water to the wrong pipe, and all that machinery provides the perfect nesting ground for bacteria and other pathogens.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted an eye-opening study on the bacterial growth within two different kinds of taps — hands-free, automatic faucets activated by an electronic eye, and the old-fashioned manual type that users have to turn in order to start the flow of water.

But before you start looking askance at all the hands-free faucets in public restrooms, the study's co-investigator, Dr. Emily Sydnor, a fellow in infectious diseases at Hopkins, notes that the growths she found would not pose a health risk for most healthy individuals.

Still, in a hospital setting, the findings could be cause for alarm.

About 50% of the water samples from the electronic faucets tested positive for legionella and other bacteria, while only 15% of the samples from the manual faucets did.

But it turns out that at least one pathogen-fighting strategy may actually be exposing us to more germs, rather than fewer.

That's why Hopkins officials decided to play it safe and go back to manual faucets in a new building under construction on campus that would include patient rooms.

That's because hospitalized patients are more likely to have compromised immune systems, whether they are being treated for cancer or undergoing an organ transplant.

They never expected that the hands-free faucets would contain more bacteria than the manual ones.

"The electronic faucets are in the process of being removed and the plan is to remove them from the existing hospital as well," says Sydnor.

They never expected that the hands-free faucets would contain more bacteria than the manual ones.

We've become a rather germ-phobic society, what with our antibacterial soaps, hand sanitizers, automatic water faucets and self-flushing toilets — all of which are supposed to reduce our contact with potential disease-causing bugs.

But before you start looking askance at all the hands-free faucets in public restrooms, the study's co-investigator, Dr. Emily Sydnor, a fellow in infectious diseases at Hopkins, notes that the growths she found would not pose a health risk for most healthy individuals.

In fact, their study started out as a way to determine how often they should program the automatic faucets to run in order to flush out colonies in case they weren't used often enough.