Checking out hospital coffee machines for dangerous bugs

Doctors can get their caffeine fix without worrying that an infectious organism might come along with it, according to this German study. — AFP

Healthcare workers will be relieved to know that hospital coffee machines are not responsible for spreading disease and a general ban doesn’t seem necessary, finds a study published in the Christmas (2023) issue of The BMJ (which features research with a humorous take).

In a bid to eliminate hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections, various objects have been investigated as breeding grounds for bacteria, including doctors’ ties, and even hospital Bibles.