Abstract
The aim of the study was to describe the growth of bacteria on plain rings worn in contact with patients compared to other kinds of finger rings carried in the same kind of patient contact. Through a sterile procedure 100 plain rings and 52 non-plain rings were shaken in 5-ml sterile salt water (0.9% solution). The solution was transferred to agar and kept incubated at 35°C for 48 hours. The sample was 152 finger rings worn by 118 nursing staff in 15 units at one average-sized (400 beds) hospital. The findings showed significantly fewer bacteria on plain rings (median 3075 cfu, n=100) than on non-plain rings (median 134 250 cfu, n=52) (p=0.005, Mann-Whitney U, two-tailed test). Staphylococcus aureus were found only on two rings (both plain). Gramnegative rods were found on 11 (11.0%) of the plain rings, and on 16 (30.8%) of the non-plain rings (p= 0.002, Pearsons Chi-Square). Although the findings show that there are fewer bacteria on plain rings compared to non-plain rings, there is reason to believe that also plain rings may represent danger of infection.