Latest Trustworthy News from Dr. Mercola - delivered straight to your inbox!
Preorder My NEW BOOK Today and Receive FREE Bonus Gifts | PREORDER NOW Preorder My NEW BOOK Today and Receive FREE Bonus Gifts | PREORDER NOW

Antibiotic-Resistant Genes Lurking in Dust

  • February 17, 2020

In every home, no matter how fastidiously you dust or vacuum, there’s dust, which is bad enough, but now there’s more.
dust
Study Finds reported on a new study at Northwestern University which found that the bacteria in household dust can spread antibiotic-resistant genes.

Researchers found that dust bacteria can swap their genes, which sometimes includes antibiotic-resistant properties, with neighboring bacteria in nearby dust. A majority of bacteria found in dust are ultimately going to be harmless, but the antibiotic resistant genes could spread to a pathogen in the dust, and if that pathogen were to make its way into a human, any illness would be much harder to treat.

That’s not the only danger lurking in household dust. 

Household dust is a combination of dust and dirt from outside, combined with skin cells, pet dander and a number of other particles that vary from home to home. Dust in the average U.S. home contains more than 5,000 species of bacteria and 2,000 species of fungi. 

To compound the problem, people spend most of their time indoors or in vehicles.

Americans spend 87% of their time in enclosed buildings and 6% of their time in enclosed vehicles — that’s a total of 93% of your life spent inside, breathing indoor air. Indoor pollutant levels are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoors, much of it due to household dust.

While the vast quantities of bacteria and fungi in household dust are surprising, it doesn’t necessarily make it a health risk. Many of the bacterial and fungal microbes are harmless, but the chemicals and other pollutants that tend to collect in house dust are not.

Even at low exposure levels, your children are at risk of health problems, because flame-retardant chemicals, phthalates and other chemicals are common in household dust.

So, if you are like most Americans and you spend up to 90% or more of your day indoors at home or at work, you’re breathing a lot of indoor air, which could affect your health. The dust buildup in your home and work may carry 45 different known carcinogenic chemicals you inadvertently breathe or eat.

A University of Oregon study suggests letting sunlight in through your windows kills bacterial germs living in household dust.

Scientists discovered the amount of dust bacteria found in dark rooms was cut in half after the rooms were exposed to ultraviolet light.

Chemical toxins from flame retardants that leach from electronics and old furniture are known to accumulate in household dust, making it important to wipe down surfaces and vacuum regularly.

Those at increased risk of harm from indoor air pollution include the very young, older adults (especially the homebound) and those suffering from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

One reason that indoor pollution is such a concern today is that energy-efficient construction effectively seals buildings and homes in a manner that can reduce a structure’s breathability and hamper air exchange. There’s also increased use of synthetic and toxin-laced building materials, furnishings, household cleaners, pesticides and personal care products.

Aside from implementing clean-air strategies in your home, another step you can take to avoid indoor dust and pollution is to spend more time outdoors.