Doctor issues terrifying warning to anyone who finds ‘pink slime’ in their bathroom

If you haven’t given your bathroom a scrub recently you may have come across patches of sinister looking ‘pink slime’.

Now a top doctor has warned that the vibrant sludge could trigger a serious infection in your gut, chest or even genitals. 

In a recent TikTok post NHS surgeon Dr Karan Rajan explained the pink substance is not mould, but instead a type of bacteria, specifically one called serratia marcescens.

The medic, who has more than 5.3 million followers on the social media platform, said the bacteria thrives in moist and damp places.

‘It enjoys munching on fatty deposits like those found in soaps and shampoos, hence why it likes to hang out in the bathroom,’ he said. 

Although Dr Rajan said the bacteria is ‘pretty harmless’ for the average person he warned it was still inadvisable to get the pink slime in ‘your eyes or open wounds’. 

This is because it can cause infections such including conjunctivitis, which causes severe itching, burning and pus in the eyes. 

However, he said the real danger is for ‘those who are immunocompromised’, patients with a weakened immune system, like those undergoing cancer treatment or with diabetes.

He warned that such patients can be at greater risk of the bacteria infecting the chest, gut or getting a painful urinary tract infection (UTI). 

In serious cases the bacteria can enter the bloodstream leading to pneumonia, a lung infection, or sepsis, a potentially fatal response to an infection which affects 245,000 people in the UK every year. 

This violent reaction can lead to the immune system injuring the body’s own tissue, which can cause life threatening organ failure. 

At least 48,000 people die from a sepsis-related illness annually, according to The UK Sepsis Trust. 

While potentially dangerous in itself, pink slime can also serve as warning sign a bathroom is primed for other organisms like ‘household moulds’, which can cause respiratory issues or allergies, to also start growing. 

Black mould in particular can cause problems such as coughing, worsening asthma, an increased risk of respiratory infections, headaches, body aches and dry skin. 

Some social media users confessed to finding the pink gunk in their bathrooms. 

‘Oh my God, this appears in our tub every few weeks, I was wondering what it was,’ one said.

Others were horrified vowed to ‘bleach everything’. Another added: ‘if you clean your bathroom properly you don’t get it.’

‘I’m wondering why people don’t clean I’m so confused,’ one user said. 

Dr Rajan stressed that simply keeping your bathroom clean can help prevent the build-up of nasty bacteria and mould. 

‘Keep the bacteria from forming in the first place by curbing its growth you’ll be preventing other dangerous moulds from forming,’ he said. 

He added: ‘As well as keeping your shower dry and well ventilated, put on an exhaust fan or open a window after showering to keep humidity levels low and regularly clean and disinfect your bathroom — it’s filthier than you think.’