Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phones Healthcare Versus Non-Healthcare Workers at Mansoura City, Egypt

The objective of this study was to identify the bacteria harbored by mobile phones of healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers from Mansoura City, Dakahlia Governorate and to determine their antibiotic resistance patterns. A total of 300 mobile phone samples, 150 samples from different Mansoura City Hospitals as healthcare workers (HCWs) and 150 samples from Mansoura University as non-healthcare workers (non-HCWs) used for isolation of bacteria on enriched, differential and selective media.  Results of HCWs samples tested were 31(20.6%) samples no growth and 119(79.3%) showed bacterial contamination. Gram-positive isolates were 62(52.1%) samples Staphylococcus species, 58(48.7%) Staph.aureus, 71(59.6%) Bacillus species and 8(6.7%) were Micrococcus species. Also, 37(31.0%) mobile phones had only one genus and 82(68.9%) with two or more different genera. On the other hand 13(10.9%) isolates of Gram-negative bacilli were recorded. The results of non-HCWs samples indicated that 8(5.3%) samples showed no growth and 142(94.6%) samples were contaminated with bacteria. Gram-positive isolates were 86(60.6%) samples Staphylococcus species, 85(59.9%) Staph.aureus, 87(61.3%) Bacillus species and 24(16.9%) were Micrococcus species. Also, 20(14.1%) mobile phones had only one genus and 122(85.9%) with two or more different genera. On the other hand, 29(20.4%) isolates of Gram-negative bacilli were obtained and confirmed the results by BD PHOENIX Device.  The Gram-negative bacterial isolates were resistant to Amikacin and Ampicillin, and sensitive to Ciprofloxacin, Trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole and Gentamicin. Also, some of isolates were resistant to Kanamycin, Nalidixic acid; Chloramphenicol and Tetracycline except Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii which are resistant to all antibiotics except Pseudomonas aeruginosa which was sensitive to Ciprofloxacin.Staphylococcus aureus of HCWs and non-HCWs 143(54.78%) were examined for nine antibiotics, the results were 99.30% were resistant to Oxacillin and Methicillin also,  89.5% were resistant to Ampicillin while 96.5% were sensitive to Ciprofloxacin, Kanamycin, and 98.6% to Trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole, Cefoxthin and Vancomycin. Also, 48(33.5%) Staph.aureus were resistant to penicillin-G. To reduce or prevent the contamination of the hands and mobile phones, healthcare workers should apply the standard hygienic precautions after using phones.