In order to avoid the spread of the virus during the epidemic, everyone has become accustomed to the days of wearing non-woven masks. Although wearing a mask can effectively prevent the spread of the virus, do you think that wearing a mask will give you peace of mind?

"The Straits Times" recently cooperated with the local Eurofins laboratory to study how many microbes (microbes) will be attached to the mask when the non-woven mask is worn for a long time. The result makes people feel itchy and itchy.

The Eurofins laboratory's research shows that the longer the non-woven mask(Medical Face Mask Manufacturer) is worn repeatedly, the number of bacteria, mold and yeast inside the mask will increase.

The experiment was conducted on disposable and reusable masks for six hours and twelve hours, respectively, and recorded the bacteria, yeasts, molds, and Staphylococcus aureus (a common cause of skin infections) that appeared during this period. Fungus) and Agrobacterium agrobacterium (the fungus that causes the rash), and then compare them.

Non-woven masks: The test recorded bacteria, yeasts and molds, Staphylococcus aureus, and Agrobacterium green.

In an interview, Dr John Common, a skin research scholar at the Singapore Institute of Science and Technology Research, said that Staphylococcus aureus may produce some toxins harmful to humans.

These bacteria can be spread through direct contact with infected people or using contaminated items.

Therefore, this kind of fungus is classified as a pathogenic organism, which means that this kind of fungus that often appears in healthy people can also cause harm to the human body to some extent.

Agrobacterium aeruginosa is another bacteria that can parasitize on the skin and cause harm to the human body.

Fortunately, in all the mask samples tested, no cells of Staphylococcus aureus and Agrobacterium aeruginosa were found.

Not surprisingly, the researchers found that the total number of yeasts, molds, and other bacteria on masks worn for twelve hours was higher than that of masks worn for only six hours.

The bacteria of non-woven masks worn for twelve hours were significantly higher than that of six hours.

It is worth noting that the study found that reusable masks generally contain more microorganisms than disposable non-woven masks(Nurse Face Mask Vendor).

At present, further testing is needed to determine whether other microorganisms and bacteria attached to the mask will cause diseases or skin diseases.

Local microbiologists told The Straits Times in an interview that the warm and humid environment in all masks is often conducive to the growth of microorganisms, but not all of these microorganisms are harmful.

Yeasts and molds.

Professor Chen Weining, director of Nanyang Technological University's Food Technology Program, said in an interview:

"Because there are microorganisms in our surrounding environment and digestive system (such as mouth and intestines), it is not surprising to find these microbes on masks."

Dr. Li Wenjian, Dean of the Department of Chemistry and Life Sciences of Nanyang Technological Institute, said that the materials of these masks will cause a certain amount of bacteria to be trapped after 12 hours of use.

He pointed out that the biggest difference between disposable non-woven masks(Hospital Face Mask On Sales) and reusable masks is the inner lining cloth closest to the mouth. He says:

"The inner lining cloth closest to the mouth is where the bacteria remain when we sneeze or cough. When we speak with a mask, our saliva will be atomized and attached to this cloth."

Dr. Li added that compared to reusable woven masks, disposable non-woven masks can provide better breathability and bacterial filtration. The fiber space of woven masks is relatively large, so the filtering performance of bacteria is not so good.

Therefore, if reusable masks are not cleaned frequently, dust, dirt, sweat, and other microorganisms (including bacteria) will be adsorbed on the inside and outside of the mask.

"These are likely to cause problems such as allergies, skin irritation or infections."

Dr. Chen, assistant professor of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at NUS Yang Luling School of Medicine, told reporters that in the “most cases”, the bacteria on the mask will not cause too serious consequences, but occasionally “opportunistic infections” may occur.

Dirty masks that have not been cleaned for a week.

These bacteria that are parasitic on the skin will multiply on dirty masks and cause diseases. Dr. Chen said:

"When the number of bacteria is low, the immune system will control them. Once the number is high, it may cause mild to severe allergic reactions, respiratory problems and even nasal infections."

Dr. Chen pointed out that since it is difficult to determine whether there are harmful bacteria on the mask, it is recommended that you always clean the mask frequently or after wearing the mask for a day.

Seeing these "suddenly visible" bacteria on the mask, do you dare to be lazy and not change the non-woven mask?