Taking a shower hasn't been this scary since Norman Bates.
A study out of the San Diego State University Center for Microbial Sciences reveals that hundreds of millions of colorful bacteria thrive on shower curtains, waiting to attack those who think they are getting clean.
The bacteria hide in the scummy buildup at the bottom of shower curtains, according to the study by SDSU professor Scott Kelley and colleagues at two other universities that will be published in an upcoming issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
"People with weak immune systems are especially susceptible to these opportunistic pathogens," Kelley said, adding that healthy adults are unlikely to face a serious threat from microorganisms found on shower curtains.
But for children, or patients with AIDS, or those undergoing chemotherapy or people with open wounds, some of the germs can be extremely dangerous.
"If these pathogens get into the body of someone who doesn't have a strong enough immune system, the symptoms can be serious," Kelley said. The bacteria can cause urinary tract infections, pneumonia, abscesses in the gut and more.
Kelley said the team of researchers was surprised to find such a large and diverse community of hundreds to thousands of potentially harmful organisms.
"We knew when we started to investigate the crusty buildup on shower curtains, we would find some scary stuff," Kelley said. "But we didn't think there would be so much."
A lot more study is needed to determine the source of the bacteria, which might be brought in through the water system, or through dirt that accumulates on peoples' bodies during the day. What role soap plays when it mixes with the bacteria and remains on a curtain also is unclear.
In the meantime, Kelly recommended that shower curtains be cleaned or replaced regularly.
"Or better yet, install glass shower doors, as these opportunistic pathogens don't seem to thrive on glass like they do on vinyl," he said.