The role of mobile phones as a possible pathway for pathogen movement, a cross-sectional microbial analysis

Mobile phones are used the world over, including in healthcare settings. This study aimed to investigate viable microbial colonisation of mobile by personnel. Swabs collected on same day from 30 belonging workers three separate paediatric wards an Australian hospital were cultured five types agar plate, then colonies each phone pooled, extracted and sequenced shotgun metagenomics. Questionnaires completed staff whose sampled assisted analysis interpretation results. All bacteria. Overall, 399 bacterial operational taxonomic units identified phones, with 1432 cumulative hits. Among these 58 recognised human pathogenic commensal bacteria (37 Gram-negative, 21 Gram-positive). The total number virulence factor genes detected was 347, 1258 Antibiotic resistance (ARGs) all overall, 133 ARGs 520 most important classes encoded beta-lactam, aminoglycoside macrolide antibiotics efflux pump mediated mechanisms. carry pathogens may act as fomites contaminating hands their users indirectly providing a transmission pathway for hospital-acquired infections dissemination antibiotic resistance. Further research is needed, but meanwhile adding touching moments hand hygiene simple infection control strategy worth considering community Additionally, implementation practical effective guidelines decontaminate devices would likely be beneficial population at large.