Posted on 05/20/2014 11:22:28 AM PDT by blam
Douglas Main, Popular Science
May 20, 2014, 12:40 PM
Washing fluid can carry the bacterium responsible for Legionnaires' disease.
That which cleans your windshield is not exactly clean itself: A new study found that windshield washing fluid can harbor the bacteria that causes
Legionnaires' disease, a severe type of pneumonia that hospitalizes as many as 18,000 Americans every year.
Scientists already knew that there was a link between Legionnaires' and riding in automobiles, but didn't know why--and the fluid may be the reason.
In the study, presented today (May 19) at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, scientists found that 75 percent of washing fluid from school buses in central Arizona carried a variety of the Legionella bacterium that causes the disease.
“Washer fluid has the traits a potentially dangerous source of Legionella exposure needs,” Otto Schwake, a microbiology Ph.D. student at Arizona State University in Tempe and the study’s lead author, told Bloomberg. “It is aerosolized, heated and people are regularly exposed to it. The results from this study support previously demonstrated epidemiological evidence for a link between automobiles and Legionnaires’ disease."
Legionella bacteria can cause the disease when they are dispersed in the air and inhaled, and it got its named from an outbreak at a meeting of the American Legion in 1976. Most people exposed to the pathogen do not get infected, and it most commonly infects the elderly, smokers, and those with compromised immune systems.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at popsci.com ...
Yes. One would.
But most people would rather drive with a dirty windshield than without air conditioning.
;-)
probably not good to use as an eyewash or a douche, or cook pasta in, either. why they didn’t bring these obvious ones is really beyond me.
It's 190 Proof of pure windshield cleaning power.
I have a reliable supplier in Franklin County - and if he's out of stock I can always import some from nearby West Virginia or Kentucky.
It doesn’t make a very good hair tonic either.
Some bacteria is really tough. I have made a lot of fresh plant tinctures using 180 proof (90%) alcohol. The only water is what is present in the plant material yet I have seen stuff growing in jars of tincture that wasn't pressed out soon enough.
:)
correction - I used 190 proof (95%) alcohol.
No
Brake fluid does. (non synthetic)
When I saw the mention of Franklin County connected with alcohol I knew you were from Virginia without looking at your profile. :)
Don’t lick your windshield
It might also have something to do with the large size of the washer reservoirs on today's cars and trucks, as well as the fact that alcohol will tend to evaoprate out in hot weather. If you don't use the washer often and rarely top it off with fresh fluid, there might be very little alcohol present.
That makes sense.
“The only water is what is present in the plant material yet I have seen stuff growing in jars of tincture that wasn’t pressed out soon enough.”
Good grief! Those bugs must have been pretty tough.
Some bacteria don’t seem to have a problem with alcohol.
Well, if you weren't already deceased because of your smoking, I'd advise you to never drink windshield washer fluid.
I'm sorry I couldn't warn you off sooner...:-(
Just got home from my annual physical.
I aced it-—and my terrific doctor just shakes her head and chuckles.
.
Great news, Mears!
I’m calling my congressman and demanding that the govt issue antibiotics immediately for all windshield washer tanks.
Set up roadblocks nationwide and have forcible administration!
No religious exemptions permitted!
I’ve been wondering if Legionnaire’s bacteria reside in my car’s air conditioning system. Whenever I turn it on, a very sour dishcloth-like stench flows out.
I Googled the make and model of my car to see if others noticed this, and sure enough, there are.
My car is only 1 year old. According to Google, the smell comes from water that’s trapped in the a/c pipes. Took it to the dealer....they didn’t smell anything (of course not).
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