Bacterial ‘Cell’ Phones: Do cell phones carry potential pathogens?

Abstract

Cell phones are important companions for professionals especially health care workers (HCWs) for better communication in hospital. The present study compared the nature of the growth of potentially pathogenic bacterial flora on cell phones in hospital and community. 75% cell phones from both the categories grew at least one potentially pathogenic organism. Cell phones from HCWs grew significantly more potential pathogens like MRSA (20%), Acinetobacter species (5%), Pseudomonas species (2.5%) as compared to the non HCWs. 97.5% HCWs use their cell phone in the hospital, 57.5% never cleaned their cell phone and 20% admitted that they did not wash their hands before or after attending patients, although majority (77.5%) knows that cell phones can have harmful colonization and act as vector for nosocomial infections. It is recommended, therefore, that cell phones in the hospital should be regularly decontaminated. Moreover, utmost emphasis needs to be paid to hand washing practices among HCWs.
Key Words: Cell phones, Health care workers, Pathogen carriers

Full text

Peer Reviewed, Open Access, Free
Published Quarterly
Mangalore, South India
ISSN 0972-5997
Volume 8, Issue 1; Jan-Mar 2009
Bacterial ‘Cell’ Phones: Do cell phones carry potential pathogens?
Authors
Kiran Chawla, Chiranjay Mukhopadhayay, Bimala Gurung, Priya Bhate, Indira Bairy,
Department of Microbiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka, India
Address For Correspondence
Kiran Chawla,
Department of Microbiology,
Kasturba Medical College,
Manipal, Karnataka,
India.
E-mail: arunkiranchawla@yahoo.com
Citation
Chawla K, Mukhopadhayay C, Gurung B, Bhate P, Bairy I. Bacterial ‘Cell’ Phones: Do cell phones carry potential
pathogens? Online J Health Allied Scs. 2009;8(1):8
URL
http://www.ojhas.org/issue29/2009-1-8.htm
http://ojhas.org
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OJHAS Vol 8 Issue 1(8) Chawla K, Mukhopadhayay C, Gurung B, Bhate P, Bairy I. Bacterial ‘Cell’ Phones: Do cell phones carry potential pathogens?
Original Article
Abstract:
Cell phones are important companions for professionals especially health care workers (HCWs) for better communication
in hospital. The present study compared the nature of the growth of potentially pathogenic bacterial flora on cell phones
in hospital and community. 75% cell phones from both the categories grew at least one potentially pathogenic organism.
Cell phones from HCWs grew significantly more potential pathogens like MRSA (20%), Acinetobacter species (5%),
Pseudomonas species (2.5%) as compared to the non HCWs. 97.5% HCWs use their cell phone in the hospital, 57.5% never
cleaned their cell phone and 20% admitted that they did not wash their hands before or after attending patients, although
majority (77.5%) knows that cell phones can have harmful colonization and act as vector for nosocomial infections. It is
recommended, therefore, that cell phones in the hospital should be regularly decontaminated. Moreover, utmost emphasis
needs to be paid to hand washing practices among HCWs.
Key Words: Cell phones, Health care workers, Pathogen carriers
Submitted: Feb 17, 2009; Accepted Apr 15, 2009; Published: May 5, 2009

Introduction:
Cell phones are increasingly becoming an important
means of communication in India. Being expensive and
conveniently small in size, they are used by doctors and
other health care workers (HCWs) in a hospital for
immediate communication during emergencies, in
rounds, and even in operation theatres and intensive
care units.1,2 They may serve as mobile reservoirs of
infection allowing the transportation of the
contaminating bacteria to many different clinical
environments.3 Further, sharing of cell phones between
HCWs and non HCWs may directly facilitate the spread
of potentially pathogenic bacteria to the community.
Various objects like stethoscopes, patient’s file,
bronchoscopes and ballpoint pens have already been
reported as vectors for potentially pathogenic
microorganisms from HCWs to patients.4-7 The potential
of cell phones as vectors to nosocomial infection has
been studied before.1-3 These studies reported that the
most commonly found bacterial isolate was Coagulase
Negative Staphylococcus (CONS) as a part of normal skin
flora. Potentially pathogenic bacteria found were
methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA),
coliforms, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), Corynebacterium spp., Enterococcus faecalis,
Clostridium perfringens, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp.,
Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp, Acinetobacter and
Stenotrophonmonas maltophilia.
Although the contamination of cell phones of HCWs has
been studied, little information regarding the
contamination of personal cell phones of people in the
community exists. Bacterial flora on cell phones of HCWs
may vary in composition, number and antibiotic
sensitivity, to that found on cell phones of non-HCWs.
This is probably the first study in India that attempts to
study the bacterial flora present on the cell phones of
HCWs and to compare it with that found on cell phones
of non HCWs in terms of composition, number and
antibiotic sensitivity.
Methods:
The prospective study was conducted for three months
from July, 2008 to September, 2008 in a teaching institu-
tion. Samples from the mobile phones of all participants
from the hospital and the community who volunteered
and verbally consented were collected without prior in-
timation and each was asked to fill up questionnaire re-
garding patterns of usage, hygiene practices and aware-
ness.
Sample Collection: A sterile cotton swab moistened
with sterile normal saline was rolled over all exposed
outer surfaces of the cell phones which were used for at
least 1 month. Care was taken to make sure that the
keypad and all buttons were swabbed since these areas
are most frequently in contact with the tips of fingers.
Samples were collected from 2 populations
1. HCWs (40): A total of 40 HCWs including doctors
(n=30) and nurses (n=10) from different
departments like medicine, surgery, urology,
orthopedics, skin and STDs, pediatrics, and
obstetrics and gynecology were included.
2. Non - HCWs: (40) A total of 40 people who do not
work in any health care set up like rickshaw drivers
(n=5), people working in the food court (n=10),
staff of the central library (n=7), staff of the
institutional administrative office (n=8) and 1st yr
medical students (n=10) were included.
The samples, transported within 30 min, were streaked
onto sheep blood agar (SBA) for semiquantitation by
dilution streaking into 4 quadrants and incubated
overnight at 37°C.
Quantification of growth: The visible growth from each
plate was categorized into no growth, scanty, moderate
or heavy growth based on the following criteria:
•No growth: No colonies in any of the 4 quadrants
of the plate
•1 + or scanty growth: Growth in quadrant 1 only
•2 + or Light growth: Growth in quadrant 1 and 2
only
•3 + or moderate growth: Growth in quadrant 1, 2
and 3
•4 + or heavy growth: Growth in quadrant 1, 2, 3
and 4
Identification of growth: Based on Gram-stain and
appropriate biochemical tests, isolates were identified.
Fungi were stained with lactophenol cotton blue and
were cultured on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar.
Antibiotic sensitivity test: Antibiotic sensitivity was
done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method on
Mueller-Hinton agar according to Clinical Laboratory
Standards Institute antibiotic disc susceptibility testing
guidelines.8 MRSA was confirmed by testing with an
oxacillin (1 μg) disc on Mueller Hinton agar with 4% NaCl
and incubated at 35°C for 24 hours.
Analysis of results: The data was analysed using SPSS
11.5. Tests of significance were done using Chi square
test and Fischer’s exact test.
Results:
Of the 80 subjects, 37 (92.5%) HCWs and 37 (92.5%) non
HCWs showed positive growth. The bacterial growth, the
type and number of organisms found on the cell phones
have been summarized in Table I, II and III. The most
common organisms found on cell phones of HCWs were
diphtheroids & aerobic spore bearing bacilli (25, 62.5%),
followed by MSSA (22, 55%). The most common organ-
isms found on cell phones of non HCWs were MSSA (29,
72.5%) followed by diphtheroids & aerobic spore bearing
bacilli (18, 45%).
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OJHAS Vol 8 Issue 1(8) Chawla K, Mukhopadhayay C, Gurung B, Bhate P, Bairy I. Bacterial ‘Cell’ Phones: Do cell phones carry potential pathogens?

Table I: Quantification of bacterial growth found on the cell phones of HCWs and non HCWs.
Quantification of
growth
HCWs (n=40) Non HCWs (n=40) p-value
n f (%) n f (%)
No growth 3 7.5 3 7.5
0.445
Scanty 23 57.5 21 52.5
Moderate 10 25 15 37.5
Heavy 4 10 1 2.5
Table II: Comparison of microbial growth on cell phones of HCWs and non HCWs
Type of organism HCW (n=40) Non HCW (n=40) p-value
n f (%) n f (%)
Diphtheroids & aerobic spore
bearing bacilli 25 62.5 18 45 0.12
MSCONS 16 40 13 32.5 0.49
MSSA 22 55 29 72.5 0.10
MRSA 8 20 0 0 0.005
Acinetobacter species 2 5 1 2.5
Pseudomonas species 1 2.5 0 0
Neisseria species 1 2.5 0 0
Candida species 1 2.5 0 0
Aspergillus species 1 2.5 0 0
Table III: Number of cell phones that showed multiple organisms
Number of different organ-
isms isolated
HCWs (n=40) Non HCWs (n=40) p-value
n f (%) n f (%)
None (no growth) 3 7.5 3 7.5
0.163
1 type 10 25 17 42.5
2 types 16 40 16 40
3 or more types 11 27.5 4 10
In case of HCWs, 30 (75%) showed growth of at least one
potentially pathogenic organism, like 22 (55%) grew
MSSA, 8 (20%) grew MRSA, 3 grew Gram negative bacilli
(GNB) including 2 (5%) Acinetobacter species and 1
(2.5%) Pseudomonas species and 2 (5%) grew fungi in-
cluding Aspergillus species (1, 2.5%) and Candida species
(1, 2.5%) Totally, there were 9 different potentially
pathogenic organisms found on cell phones of HCWs.
Assessment of antibiotic sensitivity revealed that all the
isolates of Acinetobacter species and Pseudomonas spe-
cies were sensitive to antibiotics.
In non HCWs, 30 (75%) showed growth of at least 1 po-
tentially pathogenic organism. 29 (72.5%) grew MSSA and
1 (2.5%) grew Acinetobacter species. Totally, there were 2
different potentially pathogenic organisms found. How-
ever, no drug resistant organisms were found on cell
phones of non HCWs.
In case of cell phones of HCWs majority (27.5%) showed
the presence of 3 or more types of organisms whereas
only one type of organisms were grown in majority of
cases (42.5%) of non HCWs. Eight (26.67%) out of 30
S.aureus isolates from the cell phones of HCWs were
MRSA; in contrast, none of the 29 S. aureus isolates from
non HCWs’ cell phone were MRSA.
Table IV and Table V show the response to questions
asked from HCWs and non-HCWs. Most of the HCWs use
cell phones in hospitals (97.5%) and 47.5% use it while at-
tending patients. A majority of the HCWs (65%) uses cell
phones when involved with invasive procedures. Majority
neither clean their cell phones regularly (82.5%) nor wash
hands after using cell phones (87.5%). Many of them
(32.5%) do not believe that cell phones can act as vector
for spread of nosocomial infections from one patient to
another and it can have harmful colonization. Most of
them share cell phones with colleagues (70%) and at
home (95%).
Community awareness is much better regarding coloniza-
tion and infection. While 45% believe that microbes can
cause disease and can be present on the skin (55%) as
well as on non-living things (57.5%), sharing of cell
phones was noticed in 60% of non HCWs.
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Table IV summarizes the response to the questions asked to the HCWs (n=40)
Questions Yes No
f % f %
Do you use a cell phone in the hospital? 39 97.5 1 2.5
Do you answer phone calls while attending to patients? 19 47.5 21 52.5
Have you ever cleaned your cell phone in the past? 17 42.5 23 57.5
Do you clean your cell phone regularly? 7 17.5 33 82.5
Do you wash your hands after using your cell phone? 5 12.5 35 87.5
Do you wash your hands before attending to your patient? 32 80 8 20
Do you think your cell phone can carry bacteria? 37 92.5 3 7.5
Do you think your cell phone can transfer bacteria from one patient to
another? 27 67.5 13 32.5
Do you think you could have harmful colonization from using cell phones
in the hospital? 27 67.5 13 32.5
Do your colleagues use your cell phone? 28 70 12 30
Do you use the same cell phone at home? 38 95 2 5
Do you carry out any invasive procedures? 26 65 14 35
Do you carry your stethoscope, hammer etc in the same place with the
cell phone? 10 25 30 75
Do you want to know the growth from your cell phone? 38 95 2 5
Table V summarizes the response to the questions asked to the non HCWs (n=40)
Questions Yes No
f % f %
Have you visited a healthcare centre in the past 15 days? 10 25 30 75
Do you have any family members/ friends who are doctors/ nurses/who
work in the hospital that use your phone? 8 20 32 80
Do your colleagues at your workplace use your cell phone? 24 60 16 40
Do you think all microorganisms cause disease? 18 45 22 55
Do you think microbes are present on your skin? 22 55 18 45
Can microbes be present on nonliving things? 23 57.5 17 42.5
Do you frequently get skin infections? 8 20 32 80
do you have a habit of scratching ears/ picking nose 14 35 26 65
have you ever cleaned your cell phone in the past 13 32.5 27 67.5
Discussion
This is the first study from India where bacterial load and
existence of potential pathogens on cell phones of HCWs
and non-HCWs were compared. This study indicates that
the carriage of MRSA on the cell phones of HCWs is sig-
nificantly higher (p-value = 0.005) than that of non
HCWs. The only other study from India that reported
similar rates (25%) of contamination by MRSA of cell
phones of HCWs, but it was not compared with the non-
HCWs in the community level.9 The MRSA carriage status,
however, is much higher than those reported from west-
ern countries which range from 0 to 1.9%.1-3,10 Comparat-
ively poor hygiene and hand washing practices followed
by HCWs in India might be the contributory factor. A
study in north India suggested that the major reservoir of
MRSA in hospitals are colonized/infected inpatients and
colonized hospital workers.11 It might as well be con-
cluded from our study that contaminated cell phones
has a role as a reservoir of MRSA.
Studies from UK and USA found MSCONS as the most
common organism on cell phones of HCWs, 1,3,10 whereas
we have isolated MSSA more commonly as compared to
MSCONS on cell phones of both HCWs (55% MSSA, 40%
MSCONS) and non HCWs (72.5% MSSA, 32.5% MSCONS).
It might be due to higher skin colonization of MSSA in
this region. In previous studies the isolation of MSSA
from cell phones was considered significant since it is a
potential pathogen.9,10,12 However, our isolation of MSSA
(72.5%) from cell phones of HCWs is not significantly
higher (p = 0.10) than that of non HCWs (55%). This
MSSA may represent a part of skin flora that has been
transferred to cell phones after repeated contact with
hands of users.
In other studies bacterial flora on cell phones showed
lower rates of contamination, ranging from 7 – 14.3%,
which included MSSA, MRSA, coliforms, Enterococcus
faecalis, Clostridium perfringens, Acinetobacter spp.,
Stenotrophomonas maltophila, Pseudomonas spp. and
Aeromonas spp.1,2,3 No MRSA or vancomycin resistant En-
terococcus (VRE) were detected, but 6% grew MSSA in
one of the studies.10 The higher rates of contamination
of cell phones in HCWs in this study might be due to the
influence of various factors like general hygiene and
hand washing practices of the HCWs, disinfection prac-
tices followed in the hospital, frequency of use and
cleaning of cell phones etc. The kind of bacterial flora
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OJHAS Vol 8 Issue 1(8) Chawla K, Mukhopadhayay C, Gurung B, Bhate P, Bairy I. Bacterial ‘Cell’ Phones: Do cell phones carry potential pathogens?

grown depend on the conditions under which the plates
are incubated. Here, the plates were incubated only un-
der aerobic conditions.
Two types of GNB (Acinetobacter species and Pseudomo-
nas species) on HCWs’ cell phones and one type
(Acinetobacter species) on non HCWs’ cell phones were
observed which were sensitive to all antibiotics. Regular
surveillance studies of water in hospital campus com-
monly report the presence of these drug sensitive strains
which shows that water might be the probable source.
The findings are alarming from the responses to ques-
tionnaire, which shows that HCWs are really lacking the
awareness of the safety measures when a significant
number of them neither clean their hands before and
after seeing a patient nor clean the cell phone after us-
ing in the hospital set up. However, 92.5% of HCWs ac-
knowledged that microbes could be present on their cell
phones. In contrast, the awareness at the community
level with rickshaw drivers, food handlers, clerical staff
and medical students is much better where majority of
non HCWs (57.5%) have the idea that microbes can col-
onize their cell phones and 32.5% of them clean their cell
phones regularly. So there is an urgent need to stress the
awareness in the HCWs about cell phone as carrier for
potential pathogens and regular cleaning of cell phones.
The cell phones should be restricted for use in the hos-
pital set up and for emergency calls only. The strict
maintenance of the practice will prevent the transfer of
potentially pathogenic organisms not only in community
but to close relatives at home as well.
Hand washing is the simplest and most economical
measure that can prevent transfer of harmful pathogens.
Microorganisms on the skin are generally divided into
two categories. Resident flora are microbes that normally
colonize or live on the skin of most individuals; they gen-
erally do not cause infections unless they are introduced
into normally sterile body sites and/or unless the host is
immunocompromised. In contrast, transient flora are mi-
crobes that are present on the skin for only a short time;
they tend to be more pathogenic than the resident flora
and are responsible for most nosocomial acquired infec-
tions.13 These transient or contaminant flora may be
picked up by the hands of a health care worker; for ex-
ample, when they touch a patient or any contaminated
object, such as cell phones. Handwashing is a process
which removes soil and transient microorganisms from
the hands. Hence the simple process of handwashing has
long been a mainstay of any control measure for redu-
cing nosocomial infections.
In the present study efficacy of various chemical disin-
fectants was not checked for cleaning of cell phones.
These types of studies should be done in future that can
help to reduce the transmission of pathogens from cell
phones to their users.
To conclude, cell phones can act as vehicles for transfer
of potential pathogens associated with nosocomial infec-
tions. Regular hand washing prior to examination of pa-
tients or decontamination of cell phones with alcohol
disinfectant wipes should be done to prevent nosocomial
infections.
Acknowledgements:
It was an ICMR(Indian Council of Medical Research) short
term studentship project, partly funded by ICMR.
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OJHAS Vol 8 Issue 1(8) Chawla K, Mukhopadhayay C, Gurung B, Bhate P, Bairy I. Bacterial ‘Cell’ Phones: Do cell phones carry potential pathogens?