What The Bark? Study Shows Men's Beards Carry More Harmful Bacteria Than Dogs
Seven of the men in the study tested positive for microbes that posed a threat to human health.
Bad news for our bearded brethren!
According to a recent study by Swiss scientists, it is more likely for men's facial hair to pose a potential health hazard compared to the fur of dogs.
Professor Andreas Gutzeit from Switzerland's Hirslanden Clinic revealed that, "The researchers found a significantly higher bacterial load in specimens taken from the men's beards compared with the dogs' fur," New York Post reported.
The study sought out to determine whether humans could contract dog-borne diseases using an MRI scanner shared by veterinarians
By taking swabs from the scruff of 18 men and the necks of 30 canines of various breeds, the researchers found that all of the bearded men, who were aged between 18 to 76, had high microbial counts.
Seven of the men tested positive for microbes that actually posed a threat to human health.
In contrast, only 23 of the 30 dogs showed similarly high microbial presence.
"On the basis of these findings, dogs can be considered clean compared with bearded men," says Gutzeit
Scientists also wiped down the MRI scanner after examining the dogs, and found a "significantly" lower bacteria count compared with levels after human use, The Guardian.
"No excuses now, human! Time for a nice, long petting," - dogs everywhere, probably.
