A study has found that nearly one in 10 bank cards contains faecal matter. Cash is little better with one in seven bank notes containing high levels of bacteria similar to that found in a dirty toilet bowl.

　　The research, carried out at Queen Mary, University of London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, showed our hands are therefore dirtier than we might think.

　　More than a quarter (26 percent) of hands sampled showed traces of faecal contamination including bacteria such as E.coli, the study found.

　　And we may be making ourselves ill as a result. A further survey of the 272 participants revealed only 39 percent washed their hands before eating.

　　The vast majority (91 percent) of respondents also stated that they washed their hands after using the toilet, although the levels of faecal organisms contaminating the cards and currency suggested otherwise, researchers said.

　　Washing hands with soap can reduce diarrhoeal infections by up to 42 percent but only 69 percent of people reported doing this whenever possible.

　　Dr Ron Cutler, who led the research at Queen Mary, said: 'Our analysis revealed that by handling cards and money each day we are coming into contact with some potential pathogens revealing faecal contamination including E. coli and Staphylococci.

　　'People may tell us they wash their hands but the research shows us different, and highlights just how easily transferable these pathogens are, surviving on our money and cards.'

　　Dr Val Curtis, from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: 'Our research shows just how important handwashing is - the surprising levels of contamination that we found on everyday objects is a sign that people are forgetting to wash their hands after the toilet, one of the key moments for infection prevention.'

　　Nick Wilcher, marketing manager of Radox, who funded the study to raise awareness of Global Handwashing Day, said: 'Our research highlights just how much bacteria we are exposed to in our everyday lives, on objects such as money and cards.

　　'We hope this study makes people think twice and encourages people to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before eating.'

　　(Read by CJ Henderson. CJ Henderson is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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　　(Agencies)

　　下次你把自己的提款卡拿出来时，也许你会想用它去买些洗手液。

　　一项研究发现，近十分之一的银行卡都携带粪便物质。现金还稍微好点，七分之一的钞票上所含的大量细菌相当于肮脏的抽水马桶的细菌含量。

　　伦敦大学玛丽皇后学院与伦敦卫生学和热带医学院开展的这一研究显示，我们的手比我们想的还要脏。

　　研究人员对人的手进行取样，在超过四分之一（26%）的小样上发现了粪便污染物的痕迹，其中包括大肠杆菌这样的细菌。

　　我们还可能因此而染上病。对272名参与者的进一步调查揭示，只有39%的人在吃饭前洗手。

　　此外，绝大多数（91%）的被调查者称自己在上完厕所后会洗手，然而研究人员称，银行卡和钞票上携带的粪便污染物含量反映出的却不是这么一回事。

　　用肥皂洗手可以将腹泻感染几率降低42%以上，但只有69%的人报告说自己只要可能都会用肥皂洗手。

　　玛丽皇后学院带头开展这一研究的罗恩?卡特勒博士说：“我们的分析揭示，每天接触银行卡和钞票之时，我们都在和数种潜在病原体打交道，包括大肠杆菌和葡萄球菌这样的粪便污染物。

　　“人们也许告诉我们他们洗了手，但是研究显示出的结果却不是这样，这突出表明这些存活在我们的钞票和银行卡上的病原体是多么容易被传播。

　　来自伦敦卫生学和热带医学院的瓦尔?柯第斯博士说：“我们的研究显示出洗手有多么重要——我们在日常物品上发现的污染物含量高得惊人，这表示人们在如厕后忘记洗手，而如厕后洗手对于预防传染病十分重要。”

　　该研究由乐多适公司出资赞助，目的是为了提高公众对世界洗手日的意识。乐多适公司的营销经理尼克?威尔彻说：“我们的研究突出显示了我们在日常生活中接触的细菌有多少，像钞票和银行卡这样每日经手的物品上就含有这么多细菌。

　　“我们希望这一研究能让人们好好想一想，鼓励人们在如厕后和吃饭前都洗洗手。”