These striking images show how our hands are riddled with bacteria and viruses from everyday tasks such as picking up an old dishcloth to cleaning a kitchen surface.
They have been produced as the latest scare tactic to encourage hand washing – therefore reducing the risk of illnesses such as norovirus, E.coli, colds and flu.
Bacteria from faeces are spread around when people don’t wash their hands after using the toilet, changing nappies, handling cat litter and similar activities.
We then touch surfaces and then put our hands, and the bugs – including ones that are found in human faeces – into our mouths
The photos were created by Peter Hoffman, an expert in infection control at Public Health England.
He touched everyday objects and contaminated foods – or had used the toilet.
He then pressed his hands onto a substance that only allows germs from faecal matter to grow.
He said: ‘People may not be aware of how many germs they get on their hands after doing a range of general everyday tasks, so this series of photos really helps to highlight this.’
An old dishcloth, for example, was riddled with bugs – more than after using the loo.
Mr Hoffman added: ‘Just as contamination was passed from my hands to the growth surfaces in the pictures, so it could be passed from your hands to your mouth, the food you handle or any other route of infection.’
However the images also highlight just how easy it is to get rid of the majority of the bugs with simple soap and water.
While it doesn’t totally sterilise the hands (see images), when done properly, basic hand washing greatly reduces contamination.
Mr Hoffman added: ‘Washing the hands using soap and water is integral to breaking the cycle of transmission of harmful bugs whether that is in a hospital or in our own homes and everyone needs to adopt this very good habit.’
