Degree of bacterial contamination in barbershops using hair dryers in Riyadh

Sulaiman A Al Yousef

doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.083

Degree of bacterial contamination in barbershops using hair dryers in Riyadh

Saudi J Biol Sci. 2021 May;28(5):2692-2694. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.02.083. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Author

Sulaiman A Al Yousef¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College Applied Medical Science, University of Hafr Al Batin, P. O. Box 1803, Hafar Al-batin 31991, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Barbershops provide areas for the growth and transfer of bacterial pathogens and thereby have an impact on public health. Barbershops are ideal places for the interactive spread of infections, including community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). Here, the work determines the degree of bacterial contamination of hair dryers used in barbershops. The samples were collected in the city of Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 2019. Significant bacterial contamination was seen, with total bacterial count increasing when the hair dryers were run for 20 instead of 10 s. The study shows a high level of bacterial contamination barbershops using hair dryers, with MRSA being isolated in some. The results suggest that high quality filters should be used inside hair dryers and filters, and theses should be cleaned frequently.

Keywords: Bacteria; Barber shops; CA-MRSA; Hair dryers; Microbial contamination.