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A MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDy OF THE FLORA HARBOURED BY MOBILE PHONES OF HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL. Dr. Chitra Pai ,( MBBS, MD) Professor, Department of Microbiology, M.G.Medical College, Navi Mumbai. Head of the department of Microbiology, M.G.M.New Bombay Hospital, Vashi.
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A MICROBIOLOGICAL STUDy OF THE FLORA HARBOURED BY MOBILE PHONES OF HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL Dr. Chitra Pai,( MBBS, MD) Professor, Department of Microbiology, M.G.Medical College, Navi Mumbai. Head of the department of Microbiology, M.G.M.New Bombay Hospital, Vashi.
An Indian Council of Medical Research project by: • Mr. Nikhil Tambe , Medical student, M.G.M. Medical College, Navi Mumbai • under the guidance of: • Dr. Chitra Pai,( MBBS, MD) Paper presented at National Conference of Hospital Infection Society of India, at Pune in January 2009.
INTRODUCTION • Infectious diseases are caused by a number of organisms called microbes which can be seen only with the aid of the microscope. • They include: Bacteria, fungi,parasites and viruses.
Modes of transmission • INHALATION: air • INGESTION: water/food • CONTACT: direct/ fomites. • IATROGENIC: blood transfusion/ contaminated needles/fomites. • CONGENITAL: from mother to child.
MODES OF TRANSMISSION OF INFECTIOUS AGENTS AIR WATER FOOD FOMITES BLOOD
NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS/HOSPITAL ACQUIRED INFECTIONS • Infections acquired by a patient during stay in a hospital. • Patient should not have been in the incubation period of the disease at the time of admission. • Usually develops during the hospital stay. • May manifest after discharge from the hospital.
How are Hospital Acquired Infections spread? • Contaminated needles and syringes. • Contaminated blood and its products. • Improperly sterilized instruments used in diagnosis or treatment. • Contaminated antiseptic solutions. • Contaminated water/air/food. • Role of fomites: Doctor’s coat/ ties/mobiles/stethoscope etc.
NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS: THE KILLING FACTS & FIGURES • World wide, nearly 1.4 million patients are infected each year: 88,000 die as a direct or indirect result.( WHO study). • Worldwide incidence: 3-30%. • Incidence in India: 10-30%.(HICS,INDIA) • Incidence in the West: 5%. ( Dr. Victor Rosenthal). • Cost of 17-29 billion dollars incurred annually.
Like Satan…….in God’s wards, the problem of Nosocomial infections ……………. looms large on us.
Mobile phones act as important fomites for transfer of ‘BUGS’. ‘Mobile phones harbor more micro organisms than the toilet seat!’ (DAILY MAIL,U.K.) ‘Act as TECHNOLOGICAL PETRI-DISH ES FOR THOUSANDS OF WORMS.’ Several studies have revealed that mobile phones screened by them showed evidence of bacterial contamination. MOBILE PHONES & INFECTIONS.
To screen mobile phones of health care personnel for the presence of bacteria and fungi. To isolate and identify the micro-organisms with the help of laboratory tests. To study the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of pathogenic bacteria. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
SAMPLE SIZE-120 mobile phones of different categories of health care personnel from different hospitals. Sterile swabs dipped in sterile saline were used to swab mobile phones. Media for isolation: 5% sheep blood agar, MacConkey’s agar, Sabaraud’s dextrose agar. Organisms were identified by standard procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY
*99/120 mobiles screened, ie, 82.5% showed the presence of bacteria /fungi.*Gram positive organisms>Gram negative organisms.
Growth of Staphylococcus aureus on blood agar. Gram Positive cocci in clusters. STAPHYLOCOCCI • They are very versatile pathogens and cause skin lesions like abscesses, furuncles, boils • Some systemic infections like food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. • Important causes of Hospital acquired infections, espMRSA strains.
82.5% of mobile phones of health care personnel (HCP) were contaminated.
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE • Total strains of Staphylococcus isolated:65. • Resistant strains: • Augmentin: 8 • Amoxycillin: 7 • Lomefloxacin: 7 • Erythromycin: 5 • Ofloxacin, Clindamycin: 2 • Tobramycin, Cefazolin: 1
CONCLUSION • Mobile phones can act as important sources of bacteria capable of causing Nosocomial infections. • There is a need to define their role in spreading infections in the community at large. • The study emphasises the need for strategies to disinfect mobile phones so as to block the spread of harmful germs.
Florence Nightingale(1863)-The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm…’PRIMUM NON NOCERE’’.
BIBLIOGRAPHY • Fiona McRae. ‘Wash your hands caller, your mobile is dirtier than you think’, • Science Reporter, DAILY MAIL. 2006, 2nd August. • Brady RR, Wasson A, Sterling I , McAllister C , Damani NN , :Is your phone bugged? The incidence of bacteria known to cause nosocomial infection on health care workers’ mobile phones J Hosp Infect 62:123-125.2006 • Usha S, Jayalakshmi J, Appalaraju B. ‘Cell phones as reservoir of nosocomial pathogens’. Abstract no: OA -10, IX – National Conference of Hospital Society of India, Chandigarh, India.2007, 16th February. • Ulger F, Esen S, Dilek A, Leblebicioglu H et al. ‘are your mobile phones clean?’ European congress of Clinical microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Munich, Germany. Abstract no: 1733_269. 2007, 31stMarch. • Brady RR, Fraser SF, Dunlop MG, Gibb AP, ‘Bacterial contamination of mobile communication devices in the operative environment’ J Hosp Infect 66: 397-398.2007, August. • Karabay O, Kocoglu E, Tahtaci M, ‘The role of mobile phones in the spread of bacteria associated with nosocomial infections’ J Infect Developing Countries 1:72-73.2007,14th June.