title: Child toy safety: An interdisciplinary approach to unravel the microbiological hazard posed by soap bubbles.
abstract: In 2012 some children developed sepsis after playing together with a soap bubble toy. Microbiological testing revealed heavy contamination of the soap solution, which reasonably represented the vehicle of infection. We investigated the issue with a multidisciplinary approach: review of toy safety legislation; microbiological testing of additional samples; query of the RAPEX database for non-compliant soap bubbles; identification of major manufacturing districts. Microbiological contamination of industrial soap bubbles was widespread. Sixty-three notifications of batches contaminated by environmental microorganisms and opportunistic pathogens had been reported. The Chinese had a virtual monopoly of the soap bubble market. We identified two main manufacturing districts in Guangdong Province, both notable for degradation of their water resources. The use of untreated water for the industrial production of soap bubbles may explain the bacterial contamination. Existing legislation provides an unsatisfactory approach for managing microbiological hazards in sensitive toy categories and for identifying responsible parties in import and export of the products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Hygiene Section, Via Loredan 18, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amoruso
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Hygiene Section, Via Loredan 18, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertoncello
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Hygiene Section, Via Loredan 18, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianumberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caravello
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine, Health and Productions, University of Padua, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Giaccone
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Hygiene Section, Via Loredan 18, 35131 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baldovin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012449:Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D012915:Soaps / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D012915:Soaps