KUMJ | VOL. 15 | NO. 3 | ISSUE 59 | JULY-SEPT. 2017
Mobile Phone: A Possible Vector of Bacterial Transmission in Hospital Setting
Karkee P, Madhup SK, Humagain P, Thaku N, Timilsina B
Abstract: Background
Mobile phones of Health Care Workers (HCWs) are capable of harbouring
microorganisms that can potentially cause nosocomial infections. Frequent
movement of hospital staff inside and outside the hospital can augment bacterial
transmission inside hospital and even to the community.
Objective
To screen the mobile phones of Health Care Workers for potential pathogens and
perform microbiological study of the isolates.
Methods
A cross sectional study was conducted in 124 Health Care Workers of different
departments of tertiary care hospital. Swabs were taken from their mobile phones,
processed immediately and identified and their antibiotic suceptibility pattern was
studied.
Results
This study revealed that bacterial growth was positive for pathogenic organisms in
89 out of 124 (71.8%) mobile phones out of which 33 (82.5%) were of male and 56
(66.7%) of female. However, there was no significant association between gender
and isolation of pathogens. Single pathogen was isolated in 74 (59.7%) of mobile
phones and multiple pathogens were isolated in 15(12.1%). Amongst them, most
common pathogen isolated was Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) (56.7%)
followed by Micrococcus spp., Escherichia. coli, Enterobacter spp., Acinetobacter
spp., Staphylococcus. aureus, Klebsiella spp. and Enterococcus spp. Most of the Gram
Positive Cocci (GPC) were sensitive to Vancomycin (81.9%) and Ciprofloxacin (88%)
while were resistant to Penicillin(83.1%). For Gram negative bacteria sensitivity to
ciprofloxacin ranged from 83.33% to 100% .
Conclusion
Mobile phones are possible vectors of bacterial transmission and therefore are
constant threat to the lives of already seriously ill patients as well as healthy individuals
visiting the hospital. So it is recommended to make infection control guidelines which
target the use of suitable disinfectants to avoid mobile phone contamination.
Keyword : Antibiotics, Health care workers, Mobile phones, Nosocomial infection
