Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in Cameroon
Health care providers are an integral part of the era of mobile phones. During various activities linked to health care services, they come in contact with their cell phones regularly. These cell phones act as a perfect substrate for nosocomial pathogens, especially in hot–humid conditions, and may...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Bacteria |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1334/3/4/29 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846105836028428288 |
|---|---|
| author | Nguemaïm Ngoufo Flore Ghangha Jamin Ghangha Kamga Fouamno Henri Lucien |
| author_facet | Nguemaïm Ngoufo Flore Ghangha Jamin Ghangha Kamga Fouamno Henri Lucien |
| author_sort | Nguemaïm Ngoufo Flore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Health care providers are an integral part of the era of mobile phones. During various activities linked to health care services, they come in contact with their cell phones regularly. These cell phones act as a perfect substrate for nosocomial pathogens, especially in hot–humid conditions, and may serve as a vehicle in transmitting nosocomial infections. This study aimed at determining the profile of bacteria isolated from the cell phones of healthcare providers. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from 1 April to 3 June 2023, where 115 swab samples were collected from the cell phones of health care providers (laboratory personnel, nurses/midwives and doctors) at the Regional Hospital Bamenda. These swabs were inoculated on blood, chocolate and Mac Conkey plates, and the bacteria were identified according to standard microbiological methods and biochemical tests to the genus/specie level. Data were statistically analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. The results were presented in frequencies and proportions. The chi square test was used to compare proportions between variables, and the results were considered statistically significant when <i>p</i> < 0.05. The bacteria isolated from these cell phones included coagulase-negative <i>Staphylococci</i> (CoNS), <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i> species, <i>Pseudomonas aeroginosa</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Bacillus</i> species and <i>Neisseria</i> species. All the cell phones of the laboratory personnel were contaminated, followed by those of the nurses/midwives (38; 33.0%) and, lastly, by those of the medical doctors (24; 20.9%). No statistically significant difference was observed between the three categories of health care providers with respect to the presence or absence of bacteria on their cell phones. This study presented that the mobile phones of health care providers are a risk of nosocomial pathogens. The result implies that there is an urgent need to implement and emphasize strategies such as hand washing and decontamination of mobile phones to limit nosocomial infections in the hospital. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2952d1a1524b4ecbb6da4ccdbc35b5f4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2674-1334 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bacteria |
| spelling | doaj-art-2952d1a1524b4ecbb6da4ccdbc35b5f42024-12-27T14:10:33ZengMDPI AGBacteria2674-13342024-12-013442243310.3390/bacteria3040029Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in CameroonNguemaïm Ngoufo Flore0Ghangha Jamin Ghangha1Kamga Fouamno Henri Lucien2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, Bamenda P.O. Box 39, CameroonDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, Bamenda P.O. Box 39, CameroonFaculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Buea P.O. Box 1364, CameroonHealth care providers are an integral part of the era of mobile phones. During various activities linked to health care services, they come in contact with their cell phones regularly. These cell phones act as a perfect substrate for nosocomial pathogens, especially in hot–humid conditions, and may serve as a vehicle in transmitting nosocomial infections. This study aimed at determining the profile of bacteria isolated from the cell phones of healthcare providers. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from 1 April to 3 June 2023, where 115 swab samples were collected from the cell phones of health care providers (laboratory personnel, nurses/midwives and doctors) at the Regional Hospital Bamenda. These swabs were inoculated on blood, chocolate and Mac Conkey plates, and the bacteria were identified according to standard microbiological methods and biochemical tests to the genus/specie level. Data were statistically analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. The results were presented in frequencies and proportions. The chi square test was used to compare proportions between variables, and the results were considered statistically significant when <i>p</i> < 0.05. The bacteria isolated from these cell phones included coagulase-negative <i>Staphylococci</i> (CoNS), <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Streptococcus</i> species, <i>Pseudomonas aeroginosa</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Bacillus</i> species and <i>Neisseria</i> species. All the cell phones of the laboratory personnel were contaminated, followed by those of the nurses/midwives (38; 33.0%) and, lastly, by those of the medical doctors (24; 20.9%). No statistically significant difference was observed between the three categories of health care providers with respect to the presence or absence of bacteria on their cell phones. This study presented that the mobile phones of health care providers are a risk of nosocomial pathogens. The result implies that there is an urgent need to implement and emphasize strategies such as hand washing and decontamination of mobile phones to limit nosocomial infections in the hospital.https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1334/3/4/29nosocomial pathogensbacteriacell phoneshealth care providerRegional Hospital BamendaCameroon |
| spellingShingle | Nguemaïm Ngoufo Flore Ghangha Jamin Ghangha Kamga Fouamno Henri Lucien Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in Cameroon Bacteria nosocomial pathogens bacteria cell phones health care provider Regional Hospital Bamenda Cameroon |
| title | Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in Cameroon |
| title_full | Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in Cameroon |
| title_short | Profile of Bacteria Isolated from the Cell Phones of Health Care Providers in a Hospital Setting in Cameroon |
| title_sort | profile of bacteria isolated from the cell phones of health care providers in a hospital setting in cameroon |
| topic | nosocomial pathogens bacteria cell phones health care provider Regional Hospital Bamenda Cameroon |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1334/3/4/29 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nguemaimngoufoflore profileofbacteriaisolatedfromthecellphonesofhealthcareprovidersinahospitalsettingincameroon AT ghanghajaminghangha profileofbacteriaisolatedfromthecellphonesofhealthcareprovidersinahospitalsettingincameroon AT kamgafouamnohenrilucien profileofbacteriaisolatedfromthecellphonesofhealthcareprovidersinahospitalsettingincameroon |