I made it a personal goal to bring attention to the problem of SARS and the benefits of a HEPA filter system on flights. Trouble is, that we already have HEPA filter systems on flights, but the inability to change the filters can make them ineffective. I suggested an easier solution -- use ultraviolet light at the portal boarding the flight. I was told that the wind effect at the doorway into the plane would make all of that UV-disinfection pointless. When I returned from my political appointment to my faculty position, I proposed a study to see if there really were hosts of bacteria and viruses on flights, and in TSA bins, etc. I was pleased to see that these type of studies were funded recently at Auburn and University of Arizona and we have some hard data, at least about infection patterns and the presence of bacteria and viruses on surfaces with which passengers come in contact.
A microbiology study published in May 2014, found dangerous bacteria and viruses on surfaces on commercial flight seats, armrests, tray tables, bathrooms and just about everywhere else. American Society for Microbiology. "Harmful bacteria can linger on airplane seat-back pockets, armrests for days." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 May 2014. I had always counted on the wisdom that viruses and bacteria are generally very fragile and cannot live long on surfaces not conducive to thriving. However, this report shows the dangerous bacteria and viruses can last to infect passengers long after they were left by a previous host occupying the seat as much as 168 hours earlier. Without disinfection of seats and armrests and tray tables between flights, it provides a regular garden of infection opportunities. Here's a quote from the article announcing the findings:
Another study, by Dr. Gerba of University of Arizona, followed the passengers who were infected from another passenger with influenza. The findings appeared only in news articles and I was unable to substantiate this report by finding a peer-reviewed publication on this study by Dr. Gerba. This graphic was provided in the news article and shows who was infected.
Further burdening the airlines with more regulations is a consideration, but the potential for sickness and spreading a global pandemic is reason enough for me to support mandatory wipedowns of the surface of planes between each flight.
A microbiology study published in May 2014, found dangerous bacteria and viruses on surfaces on commercial flight seats, armrests, tray tables, bathrooms and just about everywhere else. American Society for Microbiology. "Harmful bacteria can linger on airplane seat-back pockets, armrests for days." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 May 2014. I had always counted on the wisdom that viruses and bacteria are generally very fragile and cannot live long on surfaces not conducive to thriving. However, this report shows the dangerous bacteria and viruses can last to infect passengers long after they were left by a previous host occupying the seat as much as 168 hours earlier. Without disinfection of seats and armrests and tray tables between flights, it provides a regular garden of infection opportunities. Here's a quote from the article announcing the findings:
In order for disease-causing bacteria to be transmitted from a cabin surface to a person, it must survive the environmental conditions in the airplane. In the study Vaglenov and his colleagues tested the ability of two pathogens, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and E. coli O157:H7 to survive on surfaces commonly found in airplanes. They obtained six different types of material from a major airline carrier (armrest, plastic tray table, metal toilet button, window shade, seat pocket cloth, and leather), inoculated them with the bacteria and exposed them to typical airplane conditions.
MRSA lasted longest (168 hours) on material from the seat-back pocket while E. coli O157:H7 survived longest (96 hours) on the material from the armrest.
Another study, by Dr. Gerba of University of Arizona, followed the passengers who were infected from another passenger with influenza. The findings appeared only in news articles and I was unable to substantiate this report by finding a peer-reviewed publication on this study by Dr. Gerba. This graphic was provided in the news article and shows who was infected.
Further burdening the airlines with more regulations is a consideration, but the potential for sickness and spreading a global pandemic is reason enough for me to support mandatory wipedowns of the surface of planes between each flight.
This in itself is very frightening. To think that airlines don't realize the bacteria and germs still alive on their plane is unsettling. However, what if this were a biological attack? If a biological weapon was released on an airplane, it would be very hard for people to detect. The persons infected by the weapon would not know they had been infected because they would leave the airplane before the incubation period ended. Then more passengers would get onto the airplane and be infected themselves, with the same problem: they wouldn't know they were infected until they got off the plane. This could spread a disease across the world in the matter of a day. This is something airlines need to think about when discussing ways to sanitize airplanes after each flight has ended.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Dr. Sutton that airlines should be required to wipe down the surface of their planes between each flight. I found an article from the Wall Street Journal that discusses several airlines' polices on disinfecting their planes. http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-trouble-with-keeping-commercial-flights-clean-1410993651 What I find troubling is that airlines emphasize disinfecting their first class or business class sections and wait to disinfect the coach areas overnight. To only disinfect a limited part of the plane is ineffective for preventing the spread of disease.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is interesting that bacteria can last so long on a planes surface. I thought that bacteria died almost instantly when it came into contact with a surface. It is important that individuals take steps to ensure that infections do not spread.
ReplyDeleteI agreed with Professor Sutton of using ultraviolet light at the portal before boarding the flight. I think the main concern would be what kind, UV-A, B, or C, of UVs could be successfully eliminated viruses without exposing people from too much UV radiation. Even though hazard potential of UV-A is lowest, we need further data to impact on frequent fliers.
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