The Mobile Phone in a Tropical Setting - Emerging Threat for Infection Control

Srikanth, Padma; Ezhil, R; Suchitra, Somesula; Anandhi, I.; Maheswari, Uma; Kalyani, J

doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2008.05.973

Cited by 19 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…Results of Sridhar et al (16) in India indicates 70% of contamination of the cell phones of health workers. Srikanth et al (17) in Singapore showed that 71% of cell phones of health workers resulted in positive microbial growth.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination of Senior Medical Students’ Cell Phones by Nosocomial Infections: A Survey in a University-Affiliated Hospital in Tehran

Jalalmanesh¹,

Darvishi²,

Rahimi³

et al. 2017

Shiraz E-Med J

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Background and Purpose: Nosocomial infections are a growing problem in many health centers. Cell phones used by the medical staff can act as a vector for nosocomial transmission of microorganisms. This study aimed to investigate the role of cell phones of senior medical students in the spread of nosocomial bacterial infections in Amir-al-Momenin general hospital in Tehran in September 2015. Methods: Thirty medical students were enrolled using convenience sampling method. Demographic data, perspectives, attitudes, phone type, and frequency of cleaning of mobile phones were collected by questionnaires. Samples were taken from the phones using a sterile swab moistened with a nutritive medium in order to assess the possibility of bacterial growth. Results: A total of 53.3 percent of mobile phones were infected. Isolated bacteria were: Staphylococcus epidermidis (26.7%), Nonalbicans Candida (16.7%), Bacillus PSP (13.3%), Micrococcus PSP (10%), non-hemolytic Streptococcus and Enterococcus (each 6.7%), and Klebsiella and Staphylococcus aureus (each 3.3%). Conclusions: Mobile phones can act as potential carriers of nosocomial infections which are significantly higher in male students' phones and in smartphones. So, some restrictions should be applied to their use in sensitive areas of hospitals. Also, due to the significant impact of cleaning mobile phones in reducing the frequency of bacterial contamination, attention to their regular cleaning should be considered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination of Senior Medical Students’ Cell Phones by Nosocomial Infections: A Survey in a University-Affiliated Hospital in Tehran

Jalalmanesh¹,

Darvishi²,

Rahimi³

et al. 2017

Shiraz E-Med J

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“…Bacterial contamination of mobile telephones in the hospital environment can lead to the transmission of infection to heath compromised patients, but also to the medical staff, their relatives and to external people: in fact, contaminated telephones are often moved from one hospital department to others and also at home. The bacterial contamination of these devices has been widely documented for health care workers [27][28][29][30][31][32][33] but also for patients, relatives and visitors [34]. The bacterial transfer from hands to telephone surface and from contaminated telephone surface to clean hands have been reported [27], demonstrating the possibility of infection transmission through mobile devices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Silver nanocluster-silica composite antibacterial coatings for materials to be used in mobile telephones

Miola

Perero

Ferraris

et al. 2014

Applied Surface Science

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a b s t r a c tAntibacterial coatings containing different amount of metallic silver nanoclusters embedded in a silica matrix have been deposited by co-sputtering technique on several different polymers used in mobile telephones components such as: screens, covers, and microphone felts.Sputtering parameters have been varied to obtain different coating thickness and silver content, in order to meet antibacterial, aesthetic and functional requirements for each component. In particular, an antibacterial functionality has been obtained for screens, covers and felts without affecting their respective transparency, aesthetic and acoustic properties.The optimal parameters for each part have been used to obtain an antibacterial mobile telephone suitable for personnel operating in hospitals or other environments with potentially high bacterial contamination.

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“…2 During every phone call the mobile phone come into close contact with strongly contaminated human body areas with hands to hands, and hands to other areas like mouth, nose and ears. 3 as mobile phones act as perfect habitat for microbes to breed, especially in high temperature and humid conditions, 4 HCWs' mobile phones may serve as reservoirs of microorganisms that could be easily transmitted from the mobile phones to the HCWs' hands and therefore facilitate the transmission of bacterial isolates from one patient to another in different hospital wards. 3 the wide spread use of mobile phones among medical personnel in hospitals is a matter of controversy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mobile phones and nosocomial infections

Badr

Ali

2012

Int. j. infect. control

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the use of mobile phones inside hospitals especially in clinically sensitive areas is a subject of controversy because it may improve the quality of healthcare but also can transmit health care associated infections. to determine the potential role of mobile phones in harboring microorganisms and to evaluate their role in transmission of microorganisms from the mobile phone to the hand of health care personnel, 32 staff members (12, 8 and 12 were neurosurgeons, anesthetists and nurses respectively) were enrolled in this study. a questionnaire was submitted to all participants to collect information on the extent of usage of mobile phones, the location of use, the use of headsets, the awareness of disinfection practices of mobile phones and the frequency of hand washing after using their phones. they were asked to disinfect their hands using an alcohol based hand rub and fingers of both hands were cultured. Then, they were asked to do a short phone call from their personal mobile phones. Sampling was repeated from the hand used to make the call and from each participant's mobile phone. Following the hand rub, no growth was detected. after the use of a mobile phones, the rate of bacterial contamination on the hands increased to 30 ⁄ 32 (93.7%) same as that found from the mobile phones (93.7%). the use of mobile phones in clinically sensitive areas should be weighed against the risk for contamination and transmission of infections.

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The Mobile Phone in a Tropical Setting - Emerging Threat for Infection Control

Cited by 19 publications

References 0 publications

Contamination of Senior Medical Students’ Cell Phones by Nosocomial Infections: A Survey in a University-Affiliated Hospital in Tehran

Contamination of Senior Medical Students’ Cell Phones by Nosocomial Infections: A Survey in a University-Affiliated Hospital in Tehran

Silver nanocluster-silica composite antibacterial coatings for materials to be used in mobile telephones

Mobile phones and nosocomial infections

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