Cell phones used by patients and their visitors were twice as likely to contain potentially dangerous bacteria as those of healthcare workers, according to research published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
A team of researchers from Turkey collected swab samples from three parts of cell phones — the keypad, microphone and ear piece. A total of 200 cell phones were cultured for the study. Of these, 67 phones belonged to medical employees and 133 phones belonged to patients and visitors.
The researchers found that 39.6 percent of the patient group phones and 20.6 percent of healthcare workers' phones tested positive for pathogens. Additionally, seven patient phones contained multidrug-resistant pathogens such as MRSA and multiple resistant gram-negative organisms. Meanwhile, zero healthcare workers' cell phones tested positive for multidrug-resistant pathogens.
Read the APIC news release about cell phones carrying drug-resistant bacteria (pdf).
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A team of researchers from Turkey collected swab samples from three parts of cell phones — the keypad, microphone and ear piece. A total of 200 cell phones were cultured for the study. Of these, 67 phones belonged to medical employees and 133 phones belonged to patients and visitors.
The researchers found that 39.6 percent of the patient group phones and 20.6 percent of healthcare workers' phones tested positive for pathogens. Additionally, seven patient phones contained multidrug-resistant pathogens such as MRSA and multiple resistant gram-negative organisms. Meanwhile, zero healthcare workers' cell phones tested positive for multidrug-resistant pathogens.
Read the APIC news release about cell phones carrying drug-resistant bacteria (pdf).
Related Articles on Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria:
Bed Bugs Found at D.C.'s United Medical Center for Second Time
Study: Age, Antibiotic Prophylaxis Not Significant Risk Factors for MRSA Infection
French Diagnostics Company Receives FDA Approval for MRSA Test