Although many church denominations have begun using individual cups for each communicant, some continue to use a common cup. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show the presence of viable, pathogenic bacteria on the common cup after a Eucharistic service.

An urban, family-oriented parish with approximately 250 communicants was studied. Eight Eucharistic services were randomly selected between December 1990 and April 1991. Each cup was cultured 10 minutes after the Eucharistic service, although cups were not always cultured before the service. The entire rim of each cup was swabbed with a sterile cotton applicator previously moistened with transport media. Cups were chosen randomly for either bacterial culture or herpes simplex virus culture. Cultures were taken in the sacristy to avoid interruption of parish activities.

Of 16 cups cultured for bacteria after the service, 3 grew Staphylococcus aureus, 3 grew Haemophilus parainfluenzae, 1 grew both organisms, and 1 grew both organisms plus Branhamella catarrhalis. Four cups showed only normal flora, including -hemolytic streptococci, coagulase-negative staphylococci, diphtheroids, nonhemolytic streptococci, and lactobacilli. One of nine cups cultured for bacteria before the service showed S. aureus; one showed coagulase-negative staphylococcus; and seven had no growth. Four of seven cultures taken from silver cups and four of nine cultures taken from pottery cups after the Eucharist were positive for pathogenic bacteria. All three cups cultured for herpes simplex virus were negative.

This study shows that pathogenic bacteria may be spread among communicants during a Eucharistic service. Previous studies have shown similar pathogens on the common cup when passed among "healthy" volunteers in a simulated service [1]. Studies have also shown that rotating the cup and wiping with a "purificator" are not effective in eliminating bacteria from the common cup [1-3]. This and previous studies show that the silver cup has no significant antibacterial properties in the setting of a Eucharistic service.

Two cups that were cultured before the service grew bacteria, one that was pathogenic. This finding reinforces the need for hygienic cleaning procedures between services.

Intinction, the act of dipping bread into wine before ingestion by the communicant, has been offered as a safer means of taking the Eucharist. One recent review article notes that this method could result in the transmission of saliva between communicants [4].

Our current understanding of communicable diseases suggests that the safest method for communicants is to use clean, individual cups [3, 5].