In everyday life, the most diverse accessories are not an unusual sight. One of the most popular places on the body for this is the wrist. People put on all sorts of things there: jewellery, watches or even half a dozen festival wristbands. But according to a new study, countless people collect underneath germs. Certain materials only encourage growth.
Germs: Beware of bracelets
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have a new one Investigation carried out and discovered something frightening: 95 percent of all bracelets that are examined closely are sources of all kinds of germs and bacteria that have the potential to make us ill.
The test included 20 specimens made of different materials: plastic, rubber, fabric, leather, gold and silver. The researchers then took swabs from randomly selected volunteers, including drivers, firefighters, office workers, athletes and even war veterans.
Most of the pathogens were found under cloth wristbands. Below we list the materials in descending order, starting with the highest proportion of germs:
- Material
- plastic
- rubber
- leather
- Silver
- gold
Also good to know: Not only bracelets offer pathogens the perfect breeding ground. There’s also gross tech — we give you five germ-ridden gadgets everyone has in their homes.
It is best to disinfect bracelets as well
There was no significant difference between men and women, so the bacteria spread about the same. Staphylococci were the most common (in 85 percent of cases), followed by E. coli germs (60 percent), which actually occur primarily in the intestine. Pseudomonas bacteria made up the bottom list with a share of 30 percent. A person coming out of the gym carried the highest number of staph.
All of these germs can cause various diseases, some of which are serious. People with a weakened immune system are particularly at risk. The logical recommendation for action resulting from the study is the regular disinfection of bracelets – and thus also of watches, fitness trackers and the like. It is also clear to the researchers that other objects such as smartphones and earplugs should also be examined more closely for contamination with pathogens.
Source: “Prevalence and Disinfection of Bacteria Associated with Various Types of Wristbands” (Advances in Infectious Diseases 2023)
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