Open AccessFrequency Survey of Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Cell Phones in General Population in Tehran, Iran
Author(s) -
Esfandiar Matini,
Farzad Shayeghi,
Javad Nematian,
Homeyra Shayeghi,
Vahideh Lazemi,
Reihaneh Rezarian Ghahroud,
Fatemeh Shahbazi,
Seyed Amir Mahdi Madari Mohades,
Amin Zarghami,
Hossein Ghasemzadeh Kolagar,
H Rahmani,
Hanieh Abasi Feshki,
Zahra Baghaee Barjin
Publication year - 2023
Publication title -
galen medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2588-2767
pISSN - 2322-2379
DOI - 10.31661/gmj.v5i2.630
Subject(s) - medicine , contamination , mobile phone , population , coccus (insect) , staphylococcus epidermidis , environmental health , staphylococcus aureus , bacteria , biology , telecommunications , ecology , genetics , computer science
Background: Mobile smart phones have become increasingly integrated into the daily lives of individuals in society. Recent studies indicated the considerable role of these devices as reservoirs for various micro-organisms. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of microbiological contamination of mobile phones in general population. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included a large sample of mobile phones of general population Tehran in 2015. Samples for culture were collected from mobile phones and transported for microbiological identification based on standard laboratory methods. Results: Bacteriological analysis revealed that in total of 5220 sample retrieved, 5180 (98.9%) mobile phone devices were contaminated with bacteria. The most common microorganisms that were isolated include: Staphylococcus epidermidis (63.9), Escherichia coli (12.3%) and Staphylococcus aureus (11.4%). Conclusion: The prevalence of mobile phone contamination is high in general population in Tehran. Although most of the isolated organisms seemed to be non-pathogenic, their colonization may endanger certain populations particularly in health care settings. [GMJ.2016;5(2):70-74]