June 27, 2019
Bacteria have been found on the smartphones of healthy students. Brazilian researchers, who discovered these germ nests, made the link with the many infections in the hospital environment.
Antibiotic-resistant microbes
Brazilian scientists have found staphylococcus aureus on smartphones. These golden staphylococci present on cell phone screens would be responsible for hospital infections. Researchers from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil presented their results in San Francisco at the annual meeting held by the American Society of Microbiology.
Scientists took samples from 100 phones of students in nutrition, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing and biomedicine. According to the study, 40% of these students’ smartphones were infected with germs extremely resistant to antibiotics. In addition, 70% of the bacteria were found on the smartphones of future nurses who do a large number of internships in hospitals. The researchers also noted that 85% of bacteria are resistant to penicillin.
Bacteria causing nosocomial infections
The pathogens present on the screens of devices are found in the hospital and in particular contaminate the equipment. These bacteria are responsible for nosocomial infections, in particular whenthey are found in operating theaters.
Nosocomial infections infect 470,000 individuals per year in a hospital environment. In addition, 4,000 people die each year. Smartphones could thus play a role in the transmission of these infections to patients. However, researchers at the University of Sao Paulo noted that these tools are essential on a daily basis to care for patients. They also allow doctors to communicate better with each other in an emergency.
Stephanie Haerts
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