Bacterial Contamination of Healthcare Providers’ Mobile Phones: Potential Risk of Transmission

Muhammad Halwani^1, , Eman Hussein¹, Hossam Al-Hawarri², Hanin Alghamdi³, Horeyah Alghamdi³, Ameera Alghamdi³, Amjad Alzahrani³, Ebtehal Alghamdi³, Rawan Alghamdi³, Lama Alowaydi³, Linah Alghamdi³, Ashraf Timsah¹, Khalid Alzahrani⁴ and Sameh Zaytoun⁵

¹Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

²Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

³Female Section, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

⁴Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Al Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

⁵Depaertmnet of Infection Prevention & Control, King Fahad Hospital, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

Cite this paper:
Muhammad Halwani, Eman Hussein, Hossam Al-Hawarri, Hanin Alghamdi, Horeyah Alghamdi, Ameera Alghamdi, Amjad Alzahrani, Ebtehal Alghamdi, Rawan Alghamdi, Lama Alowaydi, Linah Alghamdi, Ashraf Timsah, Khalid Alzahrani and Sameh Zaytoun. Bacterial Contamination of Healthcare Providers’ Mobile Phones: Potential Risk of Transmission. American Journal of Epidemiology and Infectious Disease. 2021; 9(1):4-10. doi: 10.12691/ajeid-9-1-2

Abstract

This study examines pathogen contamination of healthcare providers’ mobile phones and its potential role in pathogen transmission at the main hospital in the Al Baha area, Saudi Arabia. Mobile phones of 166 healthcare providers were swabbed and the swabs were cultured. Healthcare providers completed a questionnaire at the same time to investigate their phone use and cleaning methods at work. The results showed that a total of 23% (38/166) of the swabbed mobile phones were contaminated by clinicians making up >52% (87/166) of the study population. It was found that neither the brand nor the type of screen protector used increased the susceptibility of phone contamination (p>0.05). Approximately 77% (128/166) of those surveyed claimed they believed mobile phone cleaning was important. Moreover, 91% (151/166) confirmed that they performed hand hygiene before and after seeing a patient. Pathogenic bacteria were cultured from 13.2% (5/38) of the contaminated phones. A minority of the study participants admitted that they neither cleaned their phones nor believed doing so was necessary. Therefore, if such ideologies exist, they could present a transmission risk to patients. Hence, all healthcare providers should practice frequent mobile phone cleaning when they are at work, and these methods should be included in infection control policies and procedures in hospitals.

Keywords:
bacterial contamination mobile phones risk of transmission healthcare providers pathogens

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