Here's why washing hands is such a great idea

Washington, July 1 (ANI): In a new study, scientists have revealed why it is a good idea to wash your hands regularly.

The study has proved that hand washing can prevent the spread of water-borne disease.

Alexandria Boehm, Jenna Davis, and their students note that almost half of the world's population - over 3 billion people - have no access to municipal drinking water supply systems. They obtain drinking water from wells, springs, and other sources, and store it in jugs and other containers in their homes.

The scientists found a strong link between faecal contamination on the hands of household residents and bacterial contamination in stored water in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Stored water contained nearly 100 times more faecal bacteria than the source where it was collected.

"The results suggest that reducing faecal contamination on hands should be investigated as a strategy for improving stored drinking water quality and health among households using non-networked water supplies," the report notes.

The study appears in ACS' Environmental Science and Technology, a semi-monthly journal. (ANI)