The next time you stay in a hotel, you might want to bring some extra hand sanitizer.
A study on contamination levels in hotel rooms led by the University of Houston, presented on June 17 at the American Society for Microbiology, reported that two of the most contaminated items were TV remote controls and bedside lamp switches.
Just as badly contaminated were surfaces more likely to be dirty, such as bathroom toilet seats and sinks, the study said.
Photo: Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times
照片：台北時報記者林亞蒂
Of greater concern, the study said, was that some of the highest levels of contamination were found on items on housekeepers’ carts, such as sponges and mops. If these items are contaminated, they can lead to cross-contamination of rooms, making entire hotels dirtier.
The researchers sampled 18 surfaces in each hotel room, testing the total levels of bacteria and fecal bacteria on each one. Fecal bacteria was found on 81 percent of all surfaces.
There are no regulatory limits for contamination of items in hotel rooms, the study said, but its findings suggest possible health risks to people with compromised immune systems.
Photo: Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times
照片：台北時報記者林亞蒂
(Reuters)
下次你下榻一家飯店，你或許會想多帶一些手消毒殺菌液。
六月十七日在美國微生物學會發表、由休士頓大學領導進行的一項對飯店客房污染程度的研究指稱，電視遙控器和床頭燈開關是飯店內最髒的兩種物品。
Photo: Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times
照片：台北時報記者林亞蒂
該研究說，容易髒的表面，諸如洗手間馬桶座和洗臉盆等，也是污染重災區。
該研究稱，更令人擔心的是，飯店清潔人員工具車內的物品，如海綿和拖把等，也是污染最多的物品。如果這些物品被污染，可能導致不同客房的交叉污染，使整個飯店更髒。
研究人員對每個飯店房間的十八種物品表面進行取樣，檢測每樣物品的總細菌和糞便細菌含量。百分之八十一物品表面都發現糞便細菌。
Photo: Lin Ya-ti, Taipei Times
照片：台北時報記者林亞蒂
該研究稱，飯店對於客房物品污染並未加以管制，但研究結果顯示免疫系統不佳的人可能遭遇健康風險。
（路透／翻譯：陳成良）
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