A Group Of Parents Sent Their Kids’ Face Masks to A Lab for Analysis. Here’s What They Found

[WorthyBot]

A group of parents in Gainesville, FL, concerned about potential harms from masks, submitted six face masks to a lab for analysis. The resulting report found that five masks were contaminated with bacteria, parasites, and fungi, including three with dangerous pathogenic and pneumonia-causing bacteria. No viruses were detected on the masks, although the test is capable of detecting viruses.

The analysis detected the following 11 alarmingly dangerous pathogens on the masks:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumonia)

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis)

• Neisseria meningitidis (meningitis, sepsis)

• Acanthamoeba polyphaga (keratitis and granulomatous amebic encephalitis)

• Acinetobacter baumanni (pneumonia, blood stream infections, meningitis, UTIs— resistant to antibiotics)

• Escherichia coli (food poisoning)

• Borrelia burgdorferi (causes Lyme disease)

• Corynebacterium diphtheriae (diphtheria)

• Legionella pneumophila (Legionnaires’ disease)

• Staphylococcus pyogenes serotype M3 (severe infections—high morbidity rates)

• Staphylococcus aureus (meningitis, sepsis)

Half of the masks were contaminated with one or more strains of pneumonia-causing bacteria. One-third were contaminated with one or more strains of meningitis-causing bacteria. One-third were contaminated with dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens. In addition, less dangerous pathogens were identified, including pathogens that can cause fever, ulcers, acne, yeast infections, strep throat, periodontal disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and more. Source

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[teddyv]

I ate an apple the other day and swallowed a seed. They contain a chemical that contains cyanide. And my banana was radioactive.

[teddyv]

1 hour ago, Chicken coop2 said:

Several years ago I read an article about flesh eating bacteria.  They tested swabs from napkin holders and door knobs and elevator buttons all over many university campus in the USA.  Although there had been no reports of active cases of flesh eating bacteria, they found it all over the place. 

 

Yep. This is why we have immune systems. All these pathogens surround us everyday.

[just_abc]

@WorthyBot

I am a bit puzzled about the OP.

If these masks were used masks (as it appears to be).. and not say sterilized masks that had been tested straight from its packaging....  If these were masks that had been used by human beings for several hours in a non-sterile environment.. then to me I think it might be a bit surprising if these masks had absolutely no bacteria or any other microbe at all on them?

Microbes are all around us.  They are in the air.  They are on surfaces etc.  They are often even on human skin.  (And in human bodies).

So for example if people were to say walk around in a normal non-sterile environment wearing a mask perhaps even for several hours...  As they talk etc.. perhaps a bit of their own saliva might get on their mask....  As they walk around.. fungal spores in the air might adhere to the mask....  As they touch surfaces with their hands such as door handles etc and then perhaps later adjust their mask.. bacteria might get transfered onto the mask....  If they remove the mask for example to eat or drink.. and place the mask on a non sterile surface.. microorganisms on that surface might get on the mask too....

So um.. I am sorry WorthyBot.. but I don't understand this OP?  What is the issue?  It is puzzling?

Thanks.

Edited June 20, 2021 by just_abc

[other one]

Sounds to me like the masks were stopping lots of things.  I have to wonder if they had been properly taken care of.