engleski

What kind of bacteria is obtained from medical students' mobile phones?

Background: Primarily designed for communication, mobile phones are an essential tool in our everyday activities. With all the benefits that mobile phones offer, their p otential role in transmission of microorganisms has to be emphasized. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate and to identify microorganisms present on medical students’ mobile phones at the School of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer Universi ty of Osijek, Croatia. Also to find if there is any correlation between the frequency and the way of cleaning mobile phones and the quantity of isolated microorganisms. Methods: The study was conducted in the School of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossm ayer University of Osijek, Croatia in October 2012. 60 swabs were collected from students who are studying for physicians (21 of them are 4th year, 18 of them are 5th year and 21 of them are 6th year/ graduates. Swabs were cultivated on blood agar plates a t 36 (± 1) ° C for 18 - 24 hours. The identification was done by Gram staining and by biochemical tests. Results: Out of 60 processed mobile phones, on 15 (25.0%) mobile phones microorganisms were not detected. On medical students' mobile phones six bacteri al genus were isolated: Staphylococcus species (43 coagulase negative staphylococci, 9 Staphylococcus aureus, 2 Sarcina spp, 2 Corynebacterium spp). One non - fermentative gram negative bacteria and one Neisseria spp was also isolated. There were no statisti cally significant differences between the frequency of cleaning mobile phones, the way of cleaning mobile phones and number of isolated microorganisms (p> 0, 05). 15 (25.0%) owners of mobile phones never clean their mobile phones. Conclusion: Mobile phone s are now an extension of a person’s lifestyle and they are always with users. Recommendations are that every mobile phone user should clean their mobile phone. Most of the isolated microorganisms belong to the natural flora of the human body.

mobile phones ; microorganisms

nije evidentirano