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A recent survey conducted by Metro UK journalists revealed rather disturbing evidence after sampling of new touch-screen menu devices at eight McDonald's restaurants in the UK. This study was conducted in collaboration with the London Metropolitan University School of Humanities.
After analyzing the samples, it was found that all touch screen menus that were sampled contained coliforms, types of bacteria present in human feces.
"We were all surprised by the amount of intestinal and fecal bacteria present on touchscreen machines. These cause the type of infections that people contract in hospitals, "said Dr. Paul Matawele, a senior lecturer in microbiology at London Metropolitan University, on a daily basis.
Another bacteria found in feces called Proteus was also found in three quarters of the screens examined. The microbiology professor added:
"Proteus can be found in human and animal excreta. It is also widely distributed in the soil. It can cause infections of the urinary tract and is a nosocomial infection that can be responsible for sepsis (blood poisoning). "
In the UK, it has even been discovered that a branch office has a staphylococcus, a highly contagious bacterium that can cause toxic shock syndrome.
"It starts around people 's noses, they touch their nose with their fingers and then transfer it to the touch screen, someone else' s aura, and s & # 's 39, it has an open cut in which it penetrates, it can be dangerous, "continued Dr. Matawele. .
"At the moment, staph is becoming resistant to antibiotics. However, it is still very dangerous in places like Africa where it can cause a toxic shock. "
Listeria bacteria have also been found on some of these touch screen menus, a type of bacterium known to cause listeriosis that can lead to stillbirths and miscarriages in pregnant women.
While McDonald's staff cleans its touch-screen menus with a disinfectant, the microbiology professor said it was probably not enough to completely eliminate all the bacteria on the screen. He continued,
"The technology of touch screens is increasingly used in our daily lives, but these results show that people should not eat food just after touching them, they are unhygienic and can transmit diseases.
"Someone can be very careful about their own hygiene throughout the day, but this could be canceled using a single touch screen machine."
However, these discoveries may not be a surprise, as many studies have also revealed that the touch screens of our smartphones are also hotbeds for millions of pathogens and bacteria. In fact, a recent study has revealed more than 17,000 copies of bacterial genes on the phones of high school students. Another study also concluded that our smartphones carried 10 times more bacteria than those commonly found on toilet seats!
Read the full Metro UK report here.
What do you think of this recent discovery? Let us know in the comments below!
Also read: Many food service workers in Malaysia are unhygienic, they carry bacteria that poison food
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