Isolation and identification of bacterial flora associated with mobile phones of health care professionals

Abstract

The percentage of Health Care-Associated infection (HAI) is increasing day by day, causing a significant rise in the morbidity and mortality. The heat generated by the mobile, in turn, creates a prime breeding place for many organ- isms which are found on the skin. To find out the bacterial flora of the mobile phones before and after cleaning with 70% isopropyl alcohol, to isolate and identify any pathogenic organisms from the mobile phones of Health Care Professionals and to find out the antimicrobial resistance pattern of the isolated pathogenic strains. This Cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital for two months. A total no. of 100 mobile phones of health care professionals belonging to various clinical departments. Swabs were taken from the mobiles before and after cleaning with 70% isopropyl alcohol. There was bacterial growth on 72 mobile phones, the highest contamination was seen in mobiles of HCW in ICU. Mobile phones of doctors showed maximum contamination of 85%, followed by CRRI’s mobiles with 70% and nurses 45%. The most common organism isolated was Micrococci followed by Staphylococcus aureus and Diphtheroids. In that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 8% and ESBL Escherichia coli 5%. It is important to educate the health care workers regarding the decontamination of the phones with 70% isopropyl alcohol which in turn can reduce the risk of Hospital-acquired infections.