Abstract
Mobile phones (MPs) have become a tool for the transmission of microorganisms due to lack of personal hygiene and maybe the sharing of the mobile phone by more than one person that which leads it to be a suitable carrier for microbes. This study aimed to draw a bead on the practices of hygiene of MPs among people living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by performing a cross-sectional survey of 204 participants. The response rate of this study was above ~95%. Results showed that 19.6 % of responders clean their MPs once in a day, but the majority (33.8%) never cleaned their MPs. More than a quarter of the respondents (28.4%) use tissue paper to clean MPs. Among the users, ~60% use MPs while eating, 76% realized that their MPs might be resource of transmitting microorganisms. The study was also carried out using standard techniques to identify and count the bacterial contamination using the MPs. A combined number of 75 MPs of the participants in the shopping malls of Riyadh were screened for microorganism identification. From 75 public MPs, 109 bacteria were isolated. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the predominant organisms isolate (76.1%) and with 1.8% by Staphylococcus aureus. Micrococcus sps. was also found (12.8%). A small number of Kocuria sps. were also isolated (4.6%). These results showed that common peoples’ mobile phones were contaminated with various types of microorganisms. The results provide an evidence base for the development and enhancement of hygienic MPs using practices.
Highlights
The reservoir of any community-based pathogens, either biotic or abiotic objects, is very important in the epidemiology of any bacterial disease like gastrointestinal, respiratory, and skin infections
It is clear that due to continuous handling of the Mobile phones (MPs), which leads to the generation of heat, an ideal environment is provided for the propagation of many microorganisms which are normally found on the skin[6]
A handful of reports showed that daily using devices like computer keyboards, mouse, ballpoint pens, files, books, door handle, lift button, and in our case, mobile phones have an important role in the transmission and spread of microorganisms . 10,11 these studies give red flags regarding MPs contamination which may cause harms for the society
Summary
The reservoir of any community-based pathogens, either biotic or abiotic objects, is very important in the epidemiology of any bacterial disease like gastrointestinal, respiratory, and skin infections. Our own hands play an apparent role in the transmission of many pathogens, either from animate or inanimate objects It has been confirmed from numerous epidemiological studies that many contaminated surfaces played a significant role in the spread of infectious diseases[1,2]. It has been reported that a mobile phone may harbor more microorganisms than a toilet seat, the sole or lace of a shoe or even the door handle[7] Many sources, such as a handbag, phone pouch, pockets, environment, and food particles, were revealed to be a possible route for contamination of the MPs. Many sources, such as a handbag, phone pouch, pockets, environment, and food particles, were revealed to be a possible route for contamination of the MPs These sources provide a path for which microorganisms can colonize the phone; thereby causing diseases that range from mild to chronic
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