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Ladies, Your Purse Could Make You Sick NewsMax.com Wires A purse can carry almost everything ... including an overabundance of germs and bacteria. Researchers at the University of Arizona tested dozens of women's purses. Every single one had at least some contaminants that could cause sickness. Most had tens of thousands. One even reached the 6.7 million mark. (And that particular lady had purchased her handbag in the previous month.) When microbiologist Chuck Gerba, who lead the study, demonstrated his discovery on ABC News by using a hand-held meter on audience members' purses, he found that half the bags tested positive for coliform bacteria - also known as fecal matter. It was the bottom of the purses that contained the majority of the germs. And the reason is simple. We ladies set down our bags on the floor in public restrooms. We then put them on the microbe-laden sink to wash our hands. Many women also place their purse in the toddler seat of the shopping cart at the grocery store. (Those seats typically cradle the bums of children wearing leaky diapers.) They toss them under their chair in a restaurant where the last customer just dropped a shrimp. And who doesn't plop their bag on the ground from time to time, possibly in the same spot where the neighbor just walked his dog. Story Continues Below
"Purses are becoming subways for micro organisms," said Gerba. "They're being transferred from one location to another. So it's like germ ‘public transportation'." The real concern is that women carry their purses then eat a sandwich or prepare a family meal. Scientists suggest that all purses, briefcases and backpacks should be wiped down once a week with a disinfectant wipe to avoid contracting viruses that can cause the common cold or diarrhea. "I'm afraid to touch them," Gerba said. "I'll never become a purse snatcher, believe me." Editor's note: Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
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