Contamination by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria on Cell Phones of Vendors in a Peruvian Market

Gómez, Walter; Alvarado-Garcia, Anthony; Suárez-Mamani, Marytté; Dámaso-Mata, Bernardo; Panduro-Correa, Vicky; Maguiña, Jorge L.; Pecho-Silva, Samuel; Rabaan, Ali A.; Rodríguez-Morales, Alfonso J.; Arteaga‐Livias, Kovy

doi:10.3390/medicina59040669

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 53 publications

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“…However, in healthcare settings, various medical devices, including stethoscopes and mobile phones, are frequently handled by healthcare providers. Recent studies have highlighted the potential role of mobile phones used by healthcare workers, or even in the community, in transmitting pathogenic bacteria [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. The proximity of mobile phones to healthcare providers’ hands and the frequent handling during patient care activities make them susceptible to contamination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phones Used by Healthcare Workers in Critical Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Dhayhi,

Kameli,

Salawi

et al. 2023

Microorganisms

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Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) present a formidable challenge for healthcare institutions, resulting in heightened mortality, morbidity, and economic burden. Within healthcare settings, various equipment and materials, including mobile phones, can potentially act as sources of infection. This study sought to examine the occurrence of bacterial contamination on mobile phones utilized by healthcare workers (HCWs) in intensive care units (ICUs), pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and cardiac care units (CCUs) within a central hospital (CH) and two peripheral hospitals (PHs) situated in the southwestern province of Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods: We collected a total of 157 samples from mobile phones utilized by HCWs across all ICUs in the CH and PHs. These samples underwent bacteriological analysis to evaluate the degree of bacterial contamination. Results: We found that 45 out of 55 samples from physicians (81.81%) and 58 out of 77 samples from nurses (75.32%) showed bacterial contamination. Contamination rates on HCWs’ mobile phones in the ICU, PICU, and NICU departments of the CH were observed at 69.56%, 80.95%, and 70.27%, respectively. Furthermore, the overall contamination rates in the ICUs, NICUs, and CCUs of the PHs were 78.26%, 88.88%, and 66.66%, respectively. The overall contamination rates of mobile phones in the CH and PHs were 72.11% and 81.13%, respectively. Conclusion: These findings underscore the necessity of routinely disinfecting the mobile phones of HCWs to mitigate the risk of cross-contamination. Implementing robust disinfection protocols can significantly contribute to curtailing the propagation of bacterial pathogens and reducing the incidence of HAIs in healthcare settings.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phones Used by Healthcare Workers in Critical Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Dhayhi,

Kameli,

Salawi

et al. 2023

Microorganisms

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Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian University

Olaitan,

Rabiu,

Umara

2024

Preprint

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Background Technological development has led to the wide use of mobile phones. However, the role of the hand-held device in the possible spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens considering gender variation, especially among Nigerian undergraduates is poorly understood. This study aimed to assess bacterial isolates recovered from male and female mobile phones for antibiotic resistance and determine possible factors that could facilitate their spread. Methods Forty (40) undergraduates were included in the study with gender parity. Swabs of the undergraduates' mobile phones were cultured and bacterial isolates were identified using standard microbiology methods. Antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) of the isolates was done using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion assay and the results were interpreted by the Clinical Standards and Laboratory Institute (CLSI) guideline. Bacterial isolates (n=6/21) that resisted antibiotics belonging to ≥ 3 different classes regarded as multidrug resistant (MDR) were subjected to 16S rRNA sequencing and identified using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) algorithm. Results The total bacterial count of male (9.2 x 106) CFU/mL and female (9.7 x 106) CFU/mL were high though comparable. Of the 25 isolates recovered, 10 and 15 were respectively from male and female mobile phones. Staphylococcus aureus (n=11) was the most occurring isolate followed by Escherichia coli (n=5), and Salmonella sp. (n=3); the rest occurred less frequently. Staphylococcus aureus obtained from male phones (n=7) is higher than in females (n=4) but the species diversity is greater in females (n=7) than in males (n=3) phones. Isolates were resistant to ampiclox and zinnacef (85.71%), erythromycin (78.57%), amoxil and augmentin (72.73%), septrim (72%), rifampicin (71.43%) while >80% were MDR. Low levels of handwashing and non-use of hand sanitizer could be linked with phone bacterial contamination. Conclusion Regular handwashing and the use of hand sanitizers should be prioritized among undergraduates to curtail the spread of difficult-to-treat bacterial infections.

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Contamination by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria on Cell Phones of Vendors in a Peruvian Market

Cited by 2 publications

References 53 publications

Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phones Used by Healthcare Workers in Critical Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phones Used by Healthcare Workers in Critical Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia

Gender-specific antibiotic-resistance patterns and characterization of bacterial flora of undergraduate students’ mobile phones and associated factors at a Nigerian University

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