A MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDy OF THE FLORA HARBOURED BY MOBILE PHONES OF HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL

Dr. Chitra PaiDr. Chitra Pai,( MBBS, MD),( MBBS, MD)Professor, Department of Microbiology, Professor, Department of Microbiology, M.G.Medical College, Navi Mumbai.M.G.Medical College, Navi Mumbai.Head of the department of Microbiology, Head of the department of Microbiology, M.G.M.New Bombay Hospital, Vashi.M.G.M.New Bombay Hospital, Vashi.

• AnAn Indian Council of Medical Research project Indian Council of Medical Research project by:by:

• Mr. Nikhil TambeMr. Nikhil Tambe , , Medical student, M.G.M. Medical College, Navi Medical student, M.G.M. Medical College, Navi

Mumbai Mumbai • under the guidance of:under the guidance of:• Dr. Chitra PaiDr. Chitra Pai,( MBBS, MD),( MBBS, MD)

Paper presented at National Conference of Paper presented at National Conference of Hospital Infection Society of India, at Pune in Hospital Infection Society of India, at Pune in January 2009.January 2009.

INTRODUCTION

Infectious diseases are caused by a number of organisms called microbes which can be seen only with the aid of the microscope.

They include: Bacteria, fungi,parasites and viruses.

Modes of transmission

INHALATION: air INGESTION: water/food CONTACT: direct/ fomites. IATROGENIC: blood transfusion/

contaminated needles/fomites. CONGENITAL: from mother to child.

MODES OF TRANSMISSION OF INFECTIOUS AGENTS

MAN

AIR

WATER FOOD

BLOOD

FOMITES

NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS/HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTIONS

Infections acquired by a patient during stay in a hospital.

Patient should not have been in the incubation period of the disease at the time of admission.

Usually develops during the hospital stay. May manifest after discharge from the

hospital.

How are Hospital Acquired Infections spread?

Contaminated needles and syringes. Contaminated blood and its products. Improperly sterilized instruments used in

diagnosis or treatment. Contaminated antiseptic solutions. Contaminated water/air/food. Role of fomites: Doctor’s coat/

ties/mobiles/stethoscope etc.

NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS: THE KILLING FACTS & FIGURES

World wide, nearly 1.4 million patients are infected each year: 88,000 die as a direct or indirect result.( WHO study).

Worldwide incidence: 3-30%. Incidence in India: 10-30%.(HICS,INDIA) Incidence in the West: 5%. ( Dr. Victor

Rosenthal). Cost of 17-29 billion dollars incurred

annually.

Like Satan…….in God’s wards, the problem of Nosocomial infections ……………. looms large on us.

MOBILE PHONES & INFECTIONS.

Mobile phones act as important fomites for transfer of ‘BUGS’.

‘Mobile phones harbor more micro organisms than the toilet seat!’ (DAILY MAIL,U.K.)

‘Act as TECHNOLOGICAL PETRI-DISH ES FOR THOUSANDS OF WORMS.’

Several studies have revealed that mobile phones screened by them showed evidence of bacterial contamination.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To screen mobile

phones of health care personnel for the presence of bacteria and fungi.

To isolate and identify the micro-organisms with the help of laboratory tests.

To study the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of pathogenic bacteria.

MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY SAMPLE SIZE-120 mobile

phones of different categories of health care personnel from different hospitals.

Sterile swabs dipped in sterile saline were used to swab mobile phones.

Media for isolation: 5% sheep blood agar, MacConkey’s agar, Sabaraud’s dextrose agar.

Organisms were identified by standard procedures.

*99/120 mobiles screened, ie, 82.5% showed the presence of bacteria /fungi.*Gram positive organisms> Gram negative organisms.

2.5%

5%

5%

6.66%

20.83% 54.6%

StaphylococciMicrococciCandidaAspergillusDiphtheroidsGNB

STAPHYLOCOCCI Growth of Staphylococcus

aureus on blood agar.

Gram Positive cocci in clusters.

•They are very versatile pathogens and cause skin lesions like abscesses, furuncles, boils

• Some systemic infections like food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome.

• Important causes of Hospital acquired infections, esp MRSA strains.

82.5% of mobile phones of health care personnel (HCP) were contaminated.

HCP No. of mobiles contaminated

Doctors 22/30 (73.3%)

Technicians 27/30 (90%)

Nurses 24/30 (80%)

Ward boys 26/30 (86.6%)

Number of HCW mobiles with pathogens.

HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL

NUMBER OF MOBILE PHONES HARBORING PATHOGENIC ORGANISMS

Doctors 11/30 (36.6%)

Technicians 15/30 (50%)

Nurses 13/30 (43.3%)

Ward boys 11/30 (36.6%)

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Total strains of Staphylococcus isolated:65. Resistant strains: Augmentin: 8 Amoxycillin: 7 Lomefloxacin: 7 Erythromycin: 5 Ofloxacin, Clindamycin: 2 Tobramycin, Cefazolin: 1

Comparison of various studies involving mobile phones

Author/Place Percentage of contaminated mobiles

Brady R.R et al 96.2%

Usha et al( Coimbatore) 91.6%

Ulger et al ( Germany) 94.5%

Karabay et al ( Turkey)

Tambe et al ( Mumbai)

90.98%

82.5%

CONCLUSION

Mobile phones can act as important sources of bacteria capable of causing Nosocomial infections.

There is a need to define their role in spreading infections in the community at large.

The study emphasises the need for strategies to disinfect mobile phones so as to block the spread of harmful germs.

Florence Nightingale(1863)-The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm…’PRIMUM NON NOCERE’’.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Fiona McRae. ‘Wash your hands caller, your mobile is dirtier than you think’, Science Reporter, DAILY MAIL. 2006, 2nd August. Brady RR, Wasson A, Sterling I , McAllister C , Damani NN , :Is your phone

bugged? The incidence of bacteria known to cause nosocomial infection on health care workers’ mobile phones J Hosp Infect 62:123-125.2006

Usha S, Jayalakshmi J, Appalaraju B. ‘Cell phones as reservoir of nosocomial pathogens’. Abstract no: OA -10, IX – National Conference of Hospital Society of India, Chandigarh, India.2007, 16th February.

Ulger F, Esen S, Dilek A, Leblebicioglu H et al. ‘are your mobile phones clean?’ European congress of Clinical microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Munich, Germany. Abstract no: 1733_269. 2007, 31stMarch.

Brady RR, Fraser SF, Dunlop MG, Gibb AP, ‘Bacterial contamination of mobile communication devices in the operative environment’ J Hosp Infect 66: 397-398.2007, August.

Karabay O, Kocoglu E, Tahtaci M, ‘The role of mobile phones in the spread of bacteria associated with nosocomial infections’ J Infect Developing Countries 1:72-73.2007,14th June.