Photo: edited by autoevolution
Bacteria is responsible for life on this planet as it’s the first thing that started to move and eat around here. Even though lifeforms have evolved a lot since then, we are still outnumbered by bacteria, and pretty much everything you come in contact with every day is covered in billions of simple little microorganisms.
In fact, the mouse, keyboard or phone in your hand now might be the ‘dirtiest’ thing around, because your hands are greasy and bacteria loves to feast on your body’s secretions.
While many of these microscopic creatures are friendly and help you digest food, there are some that will attack your body’s immune system and claim their own territory. And such type of micro-devil is the Legionella pneumophila which, according to the latest studies, might live a nourishing life right in your car’s windshield washer fluid container.
According to Automotive News’ report, previous studies have tied riding in cars to the Legionnaires’ disease and an investigation into windshield wiper fluid dispersed by school buses in Arizona appears to have found the answer.
The American Society for Microbiology found that the windshield washer fluid container on three-quarters on the buses tested in one district of Arizona is a perfect place for the bacteria to nourish.
Not that a special study was needed to discover a warm and moist place is a common place for living bacteria (no puns intended)... juuust saying.
The ‘cleaning’ fluid packed with the Legionella pneumophilla then gets sprayed and tiny little water droplets goes into your nose and lungs, delivering little rebellious fiends right in front of your immune system’s front door.
If they win the battle, you’ll end up with a very nasty form of pneumonia, also called the Legionnaires’ disease. It will manifest through fever, chills and coughing, like a flu. Some patients also have muscle aches, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, loss of coordination (ataxia), and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting.
Left untreated or treated incorrectly, you have a chance of dying between 30 and 50 percent, with smokers, elders and persons with a weak immune system being the most affected.
However, since the bacteria is transmitted through contaminated water droplets, any of the following might represent an outbreak source: cooling towers, evaporative coolers, nebulizers, humidifiers, hot water systems, showers, fountains, misting equipment and any other thing involving humidity and warmth. So basically it’s up to you to thoroughly disinfect your household systems and don’t inhale mists you don’t know anything about their origin.
While many of these microscopic creatures are friendly and help you digest food, there are some that will attack your body’s immune system and claim their own territory. And such type of micro-devil is the Legionella pneumophila which, according to the latest studies, might live a nourishing life right in your car’s windshield washer fluid container.
According to Automotive News’ report, previous studies have tied riding in cars to the Legionnaires’ disease and an investigation into windshield wiper fluid dispersed by school buses in Arizona appears to have found the answer.
The American Society for Microbiology found that the windshield washer fluid container on three-quarters on the buses tested in one district of Arizona is a perfect place for the bacteria to nourish.
Not that a special study was needed to discover a warm and moist place is a common place for living bacteria (no puns intended)... juuust saying.
The ‘cleaning’ fluid packed with the Legionella pneumophilla then gets sprayed and tiny little water droplets goes into your nose and lungs, delivering little rebellious fiends right in front of your immune system’s front door.
If they win the battle, you’ll end up with a very nasty form of pneumonia, also called the Legionnaires’ disease. It will manifest through fever, chills and coughing, like a flu. Some patients also have muscle aches, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, loss of coordination (ataxia), and occasionally diarrhea and vomiting.
Left untreated or treated incorrectly, you have a chance of dying between 30 and 50 percent, with smokers, elders and persons with a weak immune system being the most affected.
However, since the bacteria is transmitted through contaminated water droplets, any of the following might represent an outbreak source: cooling towers, evaporative coolers, nebulizers, humidifiers, hot water systems, showers, fountains, misting equipment and any other thing involving humidity and warmth. So basically it’s up to you to thoroughly disinfect your household systems and don’t inhale mists you don’t know anything about their origin.
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