Question

Intermittent use of antimicrobial socks does not decrease microbial prevalence in student athletes: a pilot study.

Concordia University Faculty Scholarship Week 2018

Abstract (Edited)

Microbial infections of the skin are common occurrences in modern life. Owing to their communicable nature, these infections are often more common in the realm of athletics and locker rooms, with many high profile cases. Many products, including socks, have been marketed as being capable of decreasing the negative aspects of microbes associated with the body. We assayed whether or not two commercially available varieties of antimicrobial socks, containing copper or silver, were capable of decreasing microbial prevalence in college student athletes while worn intermittently when compared to a control. We sampled the feet of a population of college athletes at various times both around their practice schedule and during their normal day-to-day routines. Microbes taken from their feet were allowed to grow on enriched media and were categorized in a semi-quantitative way. As could be expected, individuals did appear to have increasing numbers of microbes over the course of the day regardless of sock type with mean values of 2.75 for morning samples and 3.55 for evening samples (p < .05). After data analysis, however, we determined that these particular antimicrobial socks did not impede the growth of microorganisms in this study (p > .05). Interestingly, microbial prevalence on student athletes was not significantly different when comparing samples taken during athletic practices and during their normal day-to-day routine (p > .05). We conclude that caution should be utilized when implementing these antimicrobial products, especially when not used regularly. Further work is needed to determine if these antimicrobial products are capable of achieving the claims they often make.

1. Indicate whether the statistics reported in the above are inferential, descriptive or both. How do you know that?

2. State the null hypothesis that must have been utilized in this study.

3. Which of the following conclusions are justified and correct based on the above? Circle or highlight all that apply.

1. a. The antimicrobial socks analyzed in this work significantly lowered the number of microbes observed on student athlete’s feet
2. b. Student athlete’s feet had significantly higher number of microbes at the end of the day then at the beginning
3. c. When comparing microbial prevalence during athletics and day-to-day activities the differences seen were not significant.
4. d. None of the above

Answer 1