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Journal List > Appl Microbiol > v.15(4); Jul 1967

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Appl Microbiol. 1967 July; 15(4): 899–906.
PMCID: PMC547091
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Microbiological Laboratory Hazard of Bearded Men
Manuel S. Barbeito, Charles T. Mathews, and Larry A. Taylor
Industrial Health and Safety Office, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21701
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Abstract
An investigation was conducted to evaluate the hypothesis that a bearded man subjects his family and friends to risk of infection if his beard is contaminated by infectious microorganisms while he is working in a microbiological laboratory. Bearded and unbearded men were tested with Serratia marcescens and Bacillus subtilis var. niger. Contact aerosol transmission from a contaminated beard on a mannequin to a suitable host was evaluated with both Newcastle disease virus and Clostridium botulinum toxin, type A. The experiments showed that beards retained microorganisms and toxin despite washing with soap and water. Although washing reduced the amount of virus or toxin, a sufficient amount remained to produce disease upon contact with a suitable host.
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Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
  • Barbeito MS. Emergency disinfection of operating room and patient ward with beta-propiolactone. Hospitals. 1966 Mar 16;40(6):100–106. [PubMed]
  • BEEMAN EA. Q fever; an epidemiological note. Public Health Rep. 1950 Jan 20;65(3):88–92. [PubMed]
  • BEST RR, COE JD, McMURTREY GB, HENN MJ. Effectiveness of soaps containing hexachlorophene for the surgical scrub, special reference to bar soap. AMA Arch Surg. 1950 Nov;61(5):869–880. [PubMed]
  • FERRIS DH, BRANDLY CA. COMPARATIVE Q FEVER INVESTIGATIONS. I. Q FEVER AND RELATED ZOONOSES IN AN ENDEMIC AREA. Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1964 Aug;54:1282–1288. [PubMed]
  • MILLER WS, SCHERFF RA, PIEPOLI CR, IDOINE LS. Physical tracers for bacterial aerosols. Appl Microbiol. 1961 May;9:248–251. [PubMed]
  • REITMAN M, FRANK MA, Sr, ALG R, MILLER WS. Modifications of the high-speed safety blendor. Appl Microbiol. 1954 May;2(3):173. [PubMed]
  • REITMAN M, WEDUM AG. Microbiological safety. Public Health Rep. 1956 Jul;71(7):659–665. [PubMed]
  • SINHA SK, HANSON RP, BRANDLY CA. Comparison of the tropisms of six strains of Newcastle disease virus in chickens following aerosol infection. J Infect Dis. 1952 Nov–Dec;91(3):276–282. [PubMed]
  • WEDUM AG. LABORATORY SAFETY IN RESEARCH WITH INFECTIOUS AEROSOLS. Public Health Rep. 1964 Jul;79:619–633. [PubMed]
  • Weiss ES. An Abridged Table of Probits for Use in the Graphic Solution of the Dosage-Effect Curve. Am J Public Health Nations Health. 1948 Jan;38(1 Pt 1):22–24. [PubMed]
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