Tens of thousands of disease-causing bacteria could be present on your handbag, especially the bottom, according to researchers. There have been a number of studies done on the handbag - still the most indispensable accessory for a majority of women.

These studies have come up with the same conclusion: the ubiquitous handbag is high in many forms of bacteria, particularly the harmful kind such as Staphylococcus, which causes skin infections, Pseudomonas, which is responsible for a lot of eye infections, Salmonella and E. coli, which results in food poisoning.

The source for all these microbes is not so hard to identify. Women carry the handbags wherever they go. If they enter places swarming with germs, a lot of those end up on the handbag, which also means they carry all those germs around and transport them to other places.

Many women, for example, enter a public toilet and put their handbags on the floor; from the toilet they may proceed to a restaurant and set their handbags on the dining table. The purse may be on the floor of their cars, or in grocery shopping carts. When they get home they may set the handbags on kitchen counters where they prepare food. The range of possibilities is very wide.

One microbiologist carried out a field test on ten women’s handbags, taking swabs from the outside bottom part. Every one of them had at least some bacteria. Majority had tens of thousands, while some had millions of bacteria on them, including one which had nearly 7 million bacteria.

Some women profess non-concern: they never touch the bottom anyway. But, they should be concerned, said researchers. It should matter because these bags are transported everywhere and are set down on dining tables or food preparation areas or on their beds. When that happens the germs transfer from the bag to those surfaces, and may eventually get to your or other people’s mouths.

It is very easy to transfer germs unknowingly. Women need to be aware that whatever touches the bottom of their purses may eventually touch them or other people.

Safety Tips:

• Don’t put your handbag on the floor of toilets, or on surfaces which are heavily used. Sinks in public bathrooms are also suspect, since vomit, sputum and other bacteria-carrying substances may have been there.

• Never leave handbags in places where microbes are likely to become attached.

• Don’t put your handbag on surfaces where food is prepared or eaten.

• Use handbag hangers, if available.

• Clean your handbag regularly, both inside and outside. Cloth handbags should be washed; leather/vinyl handbags should be wiped with cleaning solutions, especially around the bottom.