[Jewelry making - Article 00046] - Re: [Orchid] Health hazzards from Customer Jewelry?

[Judy Willingham]

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    Hello, 

>     is there a way of cleaning second hand earings so they can be
>     re-sold without causing health problems? 

    Frankly, if handling dirty jewelry or buying "estate jewelry" was a
    real health hazard, there would be people suffering illnesses and we
    would see epidemiological studies to support the concern.  Jewelers
    would be exhibiting maladies common to the trade such as frequent
    infections on the hand.  You would be warned about wearing someone
    else's ring as you were warned about not sharing combs.  I simply
    have not seen evidence of people becoming ill as a result of
    handling or wearing someone else's jewelry - in public health
    parlance: "where are the dead bodies?" 

    	NOTE:	Certainly those who handle or literally put on jewelry
    covered with pus or skin flakes (scabies mite infection), are
    exposing themselves.  In such case, jewelry would definitely be a
    fomite and could transfer pathogens.  As a general rule though,
    pathogenic bacteria and viruses simply do not live on clean, hard,
    dry metal surfaces and only a few might survive if the surface was
    moist and warm.  (The only exception to this of which I am aware is
    the prion of BSE & Creutzfeld-Jacob disease fame.  It seems to
    survive sterilization procedures!  But then, we don't ingest jewelry
    or use it in brain surgery.) 

    	 If the jewelry is cleaned immediately to remove the organics and
    grime, pathogenic spores can't form and pathogens are removed. 	A
    good thorough cleaning (ultrasonic and steamer) is the smart thing to
    do. 	Let common sense rule.   Judy in Kansas 

Judy M. Willingham, R.S.
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
237 Seaton Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan  KS  66506
(785) 532-2936

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