The Importance of Mobile Phones in the Possible Transmission of Bacterial Infections in the Community.
Mobile phones have become indispensable accessories in today's life. However, they might act as fomites as they have travelled with their owner to places such as toilets, hospitals and kitchens which are loaded with microorganisms. A cross-sectional study was carried out to isolate and identify bact...
| Published in: | Journal of Community Health Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 965 - 968 |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
Oct2014
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ssf&AN=98419877&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ssf uiTerm: 98419877 longDbName: Social Sciences Full Text (H.W. Wilson) uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 00945145 JCH jtl: Journal of Community Health issn: 00945145 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Oct2014 vid: 39 iid: 5 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature artinfo: ui: 98419877 10.1007/s10900-014-9838-6 ppf: 965 ppct: 3 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P size: 152KB tig: atl: The Importance of Mobile Phones in the Possible Transmission of Bacterial Infections in the Community. aug: au: Bhoonderowa, A. Gookool, S. Biranjia-Hurdoyal, S. affil: Candos Laboratory, Ministry of Health and Quality of Life, Candos Mauritius Department of Health Sciences, University of Mauritius, Reduit Mauritius su: Communities Cross-sectional method Bacterial disease prevention Wireless communications Bacterial disease transmission Chi-squared test Confidence intervals Probability theory Descriptive statistics Odds ratio sug: subj: Communities Cross-sectional method Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) Bacterial disease prevention Wireless communications Bacterial disease transmission Chi-squared test Confidence intervals Probability theory Descriptive statistics Odds ratio keyword: Bacteria Community Infections Mobile phones Bacteria Community Infections Mobile phones ab: Mobile phones have become indispensable accessories in today's life. However, they might act as fomites as they have travelled with their owner to places such as toilets, hospitals and kitchens which are loaded with microorganisms. A cross-sectional study was carried out to isolate and identify bacteria from mobile phones of volunteers in the community. A total of 192 mobile phones from 102 males and 90 females were swabbed and cultured. The bacteria were identified by gram staining and conventional biochemical tests. A total of 176 mobile phones (91.7 %) showed bacterial contamination. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus was the most prevalent (69.3 %) followed by Micrococci (51.8 %), Klebsiella (1.5 %) and Pseudomonas (1 %). The mean colony forming units was higher among females than males ( p < 0.05; 95 % CI 0.021-0.365) and higher on mobile phones which were kept in bags than in pockets ( p < 0.05; 95 % CI 0.019-0.369). Furthermore, the use of phone cover was found to reduce microbial growth (OR 4.2; 95 % CI 1.423-12.39; p < 0.05). Significant associations were also found between bacterial growth and female participants, agricultural workers, mobile phones older than 6 months and sharing of mobile phones ( p < 0.05). Mobile phones from the community carry potential pathogens. Cleaning of mobile phones should be encouraged and should be preferably stored in pockets or carry cases. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: N holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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