Wristwatches an Infection Source in Hospitals

Link: Beware Of Doctors And Nurses Wearing Wristwatches: They Could Be Potential Sources Of Hospital-acquired Infection.

According to a study conducted by A.R. Jeans, R.C. Read and colleagues (Sheffield University, UK), presented at the 18th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona, healthcare workers who wear wristwatches are more likely to be contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus. Two consecutive cohorts of wristwatch wearers and non-wristwatch wearers (n=655) were evaluated to measure the rate of bacterial contamination. Staphylococcus aureus was found on the hands of 25% of the wristwatch wearers, while it was lower in the non-wristwatch wearers.