Roxette and D.H.T. sang, “listen to your heart.” But if a stethoscope is used to do so, what bacteria may be calling for you?
Determining the types of bacteria found on stethoscopes was the goal of a study just published in the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. The abbreviation for this journal is ICHE, which many readers pronounce “itchy.” While this study may not make you feel itchy, it could make you feel a little icky.
That’s because DNA testing done by a team from the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine found lots o’ bacteria on stethoscopes used by doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists in an intensive care unit (ICU).
