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Bacterial contamination of mobile communication devices in the operative environment

2007; Elsevier BV; Volume: 66; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jhin.2007.04.015

1532-2939

R Brady, S. Fraser, Malcolm G. Dunlop, Simon Paterson‐Brown, A.P. Gibb,

Nosocomial Infections in ICU

Studies have confirmed that a large proportion of healthcare workers' (HCWs) mobile communication devices (MCDs) are contaminated by bacteria known to cause nosocomial infection. 1 Brady R.R. Wasson A. Stirling I. McAllister C. Damani N.N. Is your phone bugged? The incidence of bacteria known to cause nosocomial infection on healthcare workers' mobile phones. J Hosp Infect. 2006; 62: 123-125 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (118) Google Scholar , 2 Borer A. Gilad J. Smolyakov R. et al. Cell phones and Acinetobacter transmission. Emerg Infect Dis. 2005; 11: 1160-1161 Crossref PubMed Scopus (78) Google Scholar , 3 Braddy C.M. Blair J.E. Colonization of personal digital assistants used in a health care setting. Am J Infect Control. 2005; 33: 230-232 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar , 4 Hassoun A. Vellozzi E.M. Smith M.A. Colonization of personal digital assistants carried by healthcare professionals. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2004; 25: 1000-1001 Crossref PubMed Scopus (28) Google Scholar , 5 Singh D. Kaur H. Gardner W.G. Treen L.B. Bacterial contamination of hospital pagers. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2002; 23: 274-276 Crossref PubMed Scopus (72) Google Scholar , 6 Namias N. Widrich J. Martinez O.V. Cohn S.M. Pathogenic bacteria on personal pagers. Am J Infect Control. 2000; 28: 387-388 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar MCDs, including mobile phones, pagers and personal digital assistants (PDAs), are often expensive objects and permit direct communication in emergency situations. They are therefore often found in close proximity to medical personnel, wherever they are located in the hospital environment, allowing the transportation of bacteria contaminating the device to many different clinical environments. We set out to evaluate the incidence of bacterial contamination of these objects within the specific clinically sensitive setting of the operating theatre environment.