Metagenomic Sequencing and Reverse Transcriptase PCR Reveal That Mobile Phones and Environmental Surfaces Are Reservoirs of Multidrug-Resistant Superbugs and SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

BackgroundMobile phones of healthcare workers (HCWs) can act as fomites in the dissemination of microbes. This study was carried out to investigate microbial contamination of mobile phones of HCWs and environmental samples from the hospital unit using a combination of phenotypic and molecular methods.MethodsThis point prevalence survey was carried out at the Emergency unit of a tertiary care facility. The emergency unit has two zones, a general zone for non-COVID-19 patients and a dedicated COVID-19 zone for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients. Swabs were obtained from the mobile phones of HCWs in both zones for bacterial culture and shotgun metagenomic analysis. Metagenomic sequencing of pooled environmental swabs was conducted. RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection was carried out.ResultsBacteria contamination on culture was detected from 33 (94.2%) mobile phones with a preponderance of Staphylococcus epidermidis (n/N = 18/35), Staphylococcus hominis (n/N = 13/35), and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (n/N = 7/35). Two methicillin-sensitive and three methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and one pan-drug-resistant carbapenemase producer Acinetobacter baumannii were detected. Shotgun metagenomic analysis showed high signature of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mobile phone and environmental samples with preponderance of P. aeruginosa bacteriophages. Malassezia and Aspergillus spp. were the predominant fungi detected. Fourteen mobile phones and one environmental sample harbored protists. P. aeruginosa antimicrobial resistance genes mostly encoding for efflux pump systems were detected. The P. aeruginosa virulent factor genes detected were related to motility, adherence, aggregation, and biofilms. One mobile phone from the COVID-19 zone (n/N = 1/5; 20%) had positive SARS-CoV-2 detection while all other phone and environmental samples were negative.ConclusionThe findings demonstrate that mobile phones of HCWs are fomites for potentially pathogenic and highly drug-resistant microbes. The presence of these microbes on the mobile phones and hospital environmental surfaces is a concern as it poses a risk of pathogen transfer to patients and dissemination into the community.

Mobile phones as fomites for pathogenic microbes: A cross-sectional survey of perceptions and sanitization habits of health care workers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

“…Yet despite such attempts at trying to maintain a sanitised mobile phone, studies have shown that contamination with microbes can occur instantaneously. Recently, our research team highlighted the presence of SARS-CoV-2 on the mobile phone of a HCW although the phone was wiped, within the preceding 24 h with 70% isopropyl [18].…”

Healthcare Derived Smart Watches and Mobile Phones are Contaminated Niches to Multidrug Resistant and Highly Virulent Microbes

“…This study was carried out at the Emergency care unit of Rashid Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as part a larger study investigating microbial contamination of mobile phones among HCWs. 8 Whilst we had previously published findings on the microbial contamination of mobile phones of 35 HCWs at this facility, 8 the data obtained from HCWs with dual ownership of smart watches and mobile phones was not included in that report as additional sampling was carried out for these individuals. The Ethical approval was obtained from Dubai Scientific Research Ethics Committee, Dubai Health Authority (REF#: DSREC-02/2021_02) and MBRU Institutional Review Board (REF#: MBRU-IRB-2020-040) and consent was obtained from participants as per reported protocol.…”

“…The Ethical approval was obtained from Dubai Scientific Research Ethics Committee, Dubai Health Authority (REF#: DSREC-02/2021_02) and MBRU Institutional Review Board (REF#: MBRU-IRB-2020-040) and consent was obtained from participants as per reported protocol. 8 The study was carried out in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki.…”

“… 8–11 This is within the context of high utilization and limited cleaning of these devices by HCWs in the workplace. 8 , 12 These findings support the hypothesis that these high touch surfaces represent “trojan horses” contributing to the dissemination of pathogens. 4 …”

Mobile phones are hazardous microbial platforms warranting robust public health and biosecurity protocols

“…With 134 different antibiotic resistance genes and 419 different virulent factor genes found across all 26 mobile phones, the United Nation sustainable development goal number #3 ‘Good health and well-being’, is in peril. SDG#3 will undoubtfully fail to reach that goal by 2030 because of multiple factors that include: (i) a discovery void era of new antibiotics, (ii) paucity of research for alternative antimicrobial solutions and (iii) ‘third hand’ microbial laden mobile phones with multi drug resistant superbugs 22 . Hundreds of trillions of micro-organisms on the surface of billions of mobile phone fomites cross borders, by means of modern transport, un-noticed as Trojan horses.…”