Published Paper Details:

Jewelry is the common accessories worn by healthcare workers in hospitals. High level of microorganisms is seen on the jewels and other accessories. A total of 60 pieces of gold jewelleries like 20 chains, 20 rings, 10 bangles and 10 anklets were collected from health care workers at KMCH, Coimbatore and some volunteers from non healthcare workers (other professional workers living in Tirupur) and used for study. The samples were examined microscopically, morphologically, culturally and biochemically using standard procedures. The identified microorganisms were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp, Methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Shigella sp, Serratia sp, Pseudomonas sp, Citrobacter sp, Klebsiella sp. The fungal isolates include Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium sp. The mean population counts of bacteria and fungi isolated from the pieces of human jewelleries ranged from 1.09 x 105 to 1.41 x 105 Cfu/ml and 1.32 x 105 to 4.32 x 105 Cfu/ml respectively. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common encountered bacterial isolates in all the four types of jewelleries. Different kinds of microbes identified from jewels of health care workers when compared with other professional workers. The sensitivity of this identified microbes against disinfectant was identified using Alum, sodium bicarbonate, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and Dettol. Dettol shows high amount of sensitivity against microbes when compare with others. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp, E.coli, Klebsiella sp, Bacillus sp, Pseudomonas sp are sensitive to all type of disinfectant. This study revealed that it is very important to sanitize the jewellery with disinfectant at every interval of time regularly.