2023-09-12 07:31:09
by Anna Fregonara
Responsible are the smartwatch bracelets and wearable devices, i.e. those wearable devices, which help us monitor heart rate and other functions useful for sporting activity
Looking at them they seem clean. Yet the bracelets of smartwatches and fitness accessories, often worn daily, without routine cleaning, to measure steps, train at the gym or record sleep quality and heartbeat, can accumulate potentially pathogenic bacteria. From a study that appeared on Advances in Infectious Diseases in fact, it emerges that 95% of the 20 bracelets tested, made of plastic, rubber, metal and fabric, were contaminated. The researchers analyzed Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas and Enterobacteria (such as Escherichia coli). The small study and the bacteria found are natural “inhabitants” of the skin, as in the case of the Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas genera, or of the intestine as in the case of E.coli. It is therefore normal for the objects we wear to be contaminated by our bacteria, those of the usual flora, but also by pathogens if we are sick or carriers of some bacteria or virus that is less “friendly” to health. Furthermore, by coming into contact with other surfaces on which they rest, technological accessories can collect microorganisms that are around, explains Annalaura Carducci, professor of General and Applied Hygiene at the Department of Biology of the University of Pisa. It is true that when pathogens are present on these devices they can represent a vehicle of transmission. However, it is necessary to keep in mind the main routes of entry into the body: ingestion, inhalation, contact with eyes and wounds, rarely intact skin.
Wash your hands The bacteria mentioned are common
They are generally considered indicators of contamination rather than pathogens, continues the expert. However, they can cause diseases depending on the strain, the type of exposure and the exposed subject. For example, we all have E. coli in our intestines in large quantities, but only some strains produce the toxin and if they multiply in foods, the consumption of these foods can cause even serious intoxication. As you can see, however, the problem is different from that of the contamination of a bracelet. Instead, the presence of E. coli on objects indicates fecal contamination and therefore suggests that there may be pathogens of fecal origin (for example salmonella or norovirus) that would cause illness if ingested. From the bracelet they should pass to the mouth, possibly through the hands. therefore it is right to keep these devices clean and disinfect to avoid possible exposure.
How to clean them
For devices that cannot be washed, normal cleaning solutions can be used to remove dirt and can be disinfected with alcoholic products, recommends the expert. It is always a good rule to limit microbial contamination on surfaces and objects as much as possible, especially those we wear or always carry with us. We also remember to wash your hands well, the most important intervention for infection control and, as good practice, not to bring them to your face, we learned this during Covid.
Ties: how many bacteria
The smallest quantity of bacteria was found by researchers on metal accessories, in particular gold and silver. Biologist Nwadiuto Esiobu, one of the authors of the research, specified that plastic and rubber bracelets could provide a more suitable environment for the growth of microorganisms as the porous surfaces tend to attract bacteria and make them colonize. partially true information regarding the potential attraction of microorganisms, not necessarily for their growth, specifies the expert. Scientists fear that these bracelets could be potential sources of infections in hospital settings. But this concern applies to all objects, if contaminated, that can be worn by patients, operators and visitors, concludes Dr. Carducci. Just think of ties for example, now out of use. In the early 2000s, the British Medical Association indicated in its new guidance on hospital-acquired infections that healthcare staff should no longer wear them during ward shifts because they could spread disease.
The cell phone experiment
Today, an object that everyone always has with them is the smartphone. In a study that appeared on Anaesthesia after hand disinfection, 40 anesthetists were asked to make a short call from their cell phones and a landline in the anteroom of the operating room. After use, the rate of bacterial contamination of doctors’ hands increased to 38⁄40 and 33⁄40, respectively.
September 12, 2023 (changed September 12, 2023 | 07:30)
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