How Long Does Pneumococcus Survive on Hands and Surfaces?
Author Information
Author(s): Heidi Smith-Vaughan, Faith Crichton, Jemima Beissbarth, Peter S. Morris, Amanda J. Leach
Primary Institution: Menzies School of Health Research
Hypothesis
The high prevalence of pneumococcal hand contamination is primarily a result of frequent inoculation, rather than survival.
Conclusion
The poor survival of pneumococci on hands suggests that frequent inoculation is the main reason for high contamination rates.
Supporting Evidence
- Pneumococci were recovered from hands after 3 minutes but not after 1 hour.
- On a glass plate, pneumococcal numbers dropped an average of 70% in the first two hours.
- Less than 100 colony forming units were recovered from hands after 3 hours.
Takeaway
Pneumococcus doesn't live long on hands, so kids probably get it on their hands a lot instead of it sticking around.
Methodology
Hands of volunteers were inoculated with pneumococci, and survival was measured by swabbing and culturing at various time intervals.
Limitations
The study involved a small number of volunteers and may not represent broader populations.
Participant Demographics
Three adult non-Indigenous female volunteers aged 23–35 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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