Table 4. Classification, prevalence and medical relevance of the bacteria found on the outside of used plastic bags. Prevalence [%] is shown in brackets.

	Classification of the bacteria found on the outside of used plastic bags					Medical relevance
	Skin flora	Skin	Fecal	Oral	Environmental contaminants	Non-pathogenic (1)	Potentially pathogenic
Enterobacter cloacae [1]			X				X
Pantoea agglomerans [1]			X				X
Staphylococcus aureus [1]		X					X
Coagulase-negative staphylococci [100]	X	X				X
Micrococci [66]	X	X				X
Corynebacteria [68]	X	X				X
Staphylococcus lugdunensis [1]	X					X
Acinetobacter ursingii [1]	X				X	X
Acinetobacter lwoffii [2]	X				X	X
Aerobic spore-formers [64]					X	X
Alpha-hemolytic Streptococci [2]				X		X
Streptococcus sanguinis [1]				X		X

(1) unless inoculated into wounds or into the blood stream via catheters.