Abstract
Introduction: Mobile phones are important material goods, and increasingly used in our daily life (Medscape, 2018). This study has been carried out to identify the risk of diseases that are caused by the touchscreen/keypad devices, and to know the number of microbes present on both types of devices surfaces after each wash using different detergents/ cleaning products.
Methodology: Total 2 mobile phones (Keypad and Touchscreen) were used for this investigation. Each mobile phone was first swabbed without cleaning, and then after each wash; using glass wipes & cleaning with disinfectant, 18 samples for each phone were collected.
Results: Of 2 mobile phones; Keypad phone had the highest TVCs rate than the Touchscreen phone. Both mobile phones were positive Staphylococcus and Bacillus bacterium for microbial contamination, and were investigated to the screen size of 5 by 3.5. The incidence of Staphylococcus bacteria was higher on the Keypad phone. After each wash Keypad phone had the highest microbial rate amongst both.
Conclusion: No significant difference between Keypad or Touchscreen phone but Keypad phone harboured the more colonies and TVCs.
Keywords
Mobile phones; Keypad mobile phones, Touchscreen mobile phones, microbial contamination, hygiene.
Aim and Objectives
To determine occurrence of bacterial pathogens on surfaces of touch screen devices.
To determine the number and types of microbes present on touch screen device surfaces.
To compare and analyze between the two devices which contains more microbes on their surface area, such as; touch screen device or keypad device.
Introduction
There are many reasons for knowing the individual microbial contamination. The reason in this study is to identify the number of microbes present on the desired area of devices and then to minimize the risk of contamination after each wash, to test the different products effectivity. This study was carried out using known/ experienced microbiology laboratory methods to identify the unknown bacterium.
Mobile phones are important material goods, and increasingly used in our daily life. (Medscape, 2018). This study has been carried out to identify the risk of diseases that are caused by the touchscreen/keypad devices, and to know the number of microbes present on both types of devices surfaces. There are many touchscreen devices such as laptops, tablets, iPads, mobile phones and much more. They are increasingly used in everyday life, even in toilets. Many people are unaware of the fact that how the touchscreen devices can have microbial pathogens present on it. When phones come in contact with the face, mouth, ears, and hands-on daily basis, it has the highest risk to our health which has increased chances of getting disease/ infections.
“The objectives of the study were to assess the surfaces of smartphones and tablets for bacterial contamination, and to determine whether a 14-day intensified cleaning period would affect the subsequent burden of microbial contamination. The entire touchscreen of each device tested was swabbed before and after the cleaning protocol was implemented” (Medscape, 2018). As associate, this study was to carry out the investigation to determine the presence and compare the number of pathogenic bacteria present between touchscreen devices or keypad devices. This was followed by using different products for testing effectivity of cleanliness and the numbers of microbes present after each wash. However, in this study there was limits to test devices in different healthcare settings.
“It’s a source of infectious contamination. Special disinfectant wipes are suitable for cleaning any touchscreen” (Medscape, 2018). Special glass wipes and disinfectant from laboratory were used to clean phones before swabbing. On both phones, the most common bacteria that was found was named Staphylococcus, Gram-positive bacteria, “Many of the pathogens were bacteria that can cause serious infections in critically ill patients, including Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus, and Enterobacteriaceae” (Medscape, 2018).
“Cellphones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats”, Dr. Chuck Gerba, University of Arizona (LifeShield, 2019). “Dirty Little Secret”, this term was used to describe the bad effects and harms of using public touch devices such as; Macdonald`s, Bank ATM and many more. “Screens are not being cleaned to medical standard”, this is because most detergents or cleaning products for glass or mirrors can easily damage the screen as it contains alcohol or bleach but LifeShield health programme have introduced their new protectors. “LifeShield screen protectors are resistant to all cleaning products, so you no longer have to worry about wiping down that patients monitor with bleach” (LifeShield, 2019).
The research that has been done, is evident that the same type of microbes that is present are the same as, that is found on the human’s hand and on any touchscreen device, the mobile phone is a good example for transmitting bacteria’s or diseases easily. To support my point, “A 2013 project at the University of Surrey tested a large sampling of smartphones and found fecal coliforms, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus and much more” (LifeShield, 2019).
As people, rarely disinfect their phones surface; hence result in having various bacterial agents coming into contact due to less care. Nosocomial infection is very common now a day, which could be without any doubt due to touchscreen devices. “The study is to determine many bacteria and fungi with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)” (Innovareacademics.in, 2018).
Nowadays young generation uses mobile a lot and that is why passing on germs is not so difficult. However, in comparison, in different environment settings, i.e. health care settings touchscreen devices will have less bacteria than on keypad devices.
All the tested mobile phones were 100% contaminated. “The most prevalent bacterial contaminants were methicillin-resistant S. aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci representing 53% and 50%, respectively” (Anon, 2018). “In a small study, University of Oregon scientists tested the index fingers and thumbs of 17 subjects, along with the touchscreens of their smartphones. As you might expect, they found an 82 percent overlap between the most common types of bacteria found on participants’ fingers and on their phones” (Healthline, 2018).
Methodology
Study design & participants: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 22nd and May 12th, 2019, in London South Bank University. A total of 2 devices were included in the study.
Mobile phones or devices: All the phones were recorded as Keypad phone and Touchscreen phone. Samples were collected from measured surfaces (Touchscreen- touchscreen front area & Keypad- Buttons) of both devices. The surface types of both phones were compared in terms of microbial contamination. The screen sizes of each phone investigated was 5 by 3.5. Along with testing for microbial rates, the phones were investigated for highest number of bacteria present after each wash.
Sample collection technique, Isolation and identification: A Microbiological laboratory swabbing technique was used to test for the presence of microorganisms on mobile phones. Sterile swabs were rubbed on specified area (5 by 3.5) of both mobile phones. Both samples were investigated using Nutrient Agar (NA), used for non-fastidious organisms and peptone water, followed by incubation at 37°C for 48 hours. Colonies were calculated using the quantitative colony-forming unit (cfu) count method, where colonies isolated from each mobile phone were divided by the area sampled.
Statistical analysis: The Keypad phone and the Touchscreen phone, both were compared for all variables such as; presence of microbial contamination, generally before cleaning & then after cleaning with 2 products to identify, whether it reduces the number of bacteria or not.
Results
Both samples (Touch and Keypad Mobile Phones) collected, shows bacterial growth within the specific time given to procedure. The procedures followed using glass wipes, growth tends to be reduced by the dilutions in both samples, which indicates that using wipes or cleaning products helps reducing the number of bacteria. Followed by using disinfectant, growth tends to be reducing gradually in Keypad Mobile Phone, whereas, there is no growth in Touch screen Mobile Phone. They were all positive Cocci and Rod-shaped bacteria when seen under the microscope.
Out of 2 mobile phones; Keypad phone had the highest TVCs rate than the Touchscreen phone. Both mobile phones were positive Staphylococcus and Bacillus bacterium for microbial contamination. The incidence of Staphylococcus bacteria was higher on the Keypad phone. After each wash Keypad phone had the highest microbial rate amongst both.
There wasn`t any significant difference between Keypad or Touchscreen phone but Keypad phone harboured the more colonies and TVCs.
Discussion:
The results show that the mobile phones have the highest risk of spreading nosocomial infections. This study shows that the contamination rate carried out on Mobile Phones is relatively high. However, the touch screen mobile phone had lower bacterial frequency when compared with keypad mobile phones, even after each wash.
