Microbiological evaluation of the cell phones of the professionals of a Surgical Center in a beneficent Hospital

Authors

  • Cristiano Berardo Carneiro Cunha Programa de Pós-Graduação em Cirurgia da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco IMIP - Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof Fernando Figueira
  • Fernando Ribeiro Moraes Programa de Pós-Graduação em Cirurgia da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Instituto do Coração de Pernambuco IMIP - Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira
  • Verônica Soares Monteiro IMIP - Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira
  • Fabiana Gomes Magalhães Aragão Feitosa IMIP - Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira
  • Igor Tiago Correia Silva Instituto do Coração de Pernambuco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17058/reci.v6i3.6717

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Hospital infection has been a frequent and growing problem worldwide. To try to determine factors that might contribute to the spread of bacteria in the hospital environment is part of the control strategy of this evil. Mobile phones, which are devices present in everyday life in any environment on the planet, including health facilities, can serve as reservoirs of pathogens, and its handling might help in the spread of infection in hospitals. This concern rises when it comes appliances belonging to potentially colonized environments of employees by resistant bacteria environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the degree of contamination of mobile phones of employees of a surgical ward of a hospital, checking for differences between the functions of these professionals, such as surgeons, anesthetists, perfusionists, nurses, and scrub nurses. Methods: We collected swabs moistened in enriching broth 50 mobile phones of employees of the surgical rooms. These swabs were hatched and sown, and his reading was held on 24 and 48 hours, with separate results according to each specialty. Results: Of 50 evaluated handsets, 88% (44) were colonized. The most common bacteria were coagulase-negative staphylococci, followed by Bacillus subtilis (15.9%) and Micrococcus sp (9.1%). There was no statistically significant difference in the degree of contamination among the evaluated specialties. Conclusion: As shown in the literature, cell phones are contaminated with potentially infectious bacteria, and therefore, measures to regulate their use and antisepsis should be stipulated by the institutions.

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Author Biography

Cristiano Berardo Carneiro Cunha, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Cirurgia da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco IMIP - Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof Fernando Figueira

Departamento de Cirurgia Cardiovascular

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Published

2016-07-04

How to Cite

Cunha, C. B. C., Moraes, F. R., Monteiro, V. S., Feitosa, F. G. M. A., & Silva, I. T. C. (2016). Microbiological evaluation of the cell phones of the professionals of a Surgical Center in a beneficent Hospital. Revista De Epidemiologia E Controle De Infecção, 6(3), 120-124. https://doi.org/10.17058/reci.v6i3.6717

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 3 (2016)

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

License

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