Exploring Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Positive Bacteria on Electronic Devices: A Comparative Experimental Study Based on the Gender of Healthcare and Nonhealthcare Workers.

BACKGROUND: Electronic device screens can harbor harmful microbes, potentially facilitating the transmission of diseases when users interact with these surfaces. This study aimed to investigate the presence of gram-positive bacterial contamination and identify potentially harmful bacteria in these screens. A total of 200 samples were collected from the screens of devices of healthcare and nonhealthcare workers. Cotton swabs collected samples from device screens, including cellphones and iPads/PCs. These samples were cultured and tested to identify bacterial organisms and then assessed for antibiotic resistance using the disc diffusion method. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test and ANOVA to compare the data obtained from the two groups.

RESULTS: This study found 12 types of bacteria on device screens used by healthcare and nonhealthcare workers, irrespective of sex. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most frequently detected bacterium in both groups. However, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus anaerobes were present in males but absent in females. Devices belonging to male participants exhibited statistically higher levels of bacterial contamination compared to those of the female participants (p < 0.05). Cell phones showed greater bacterial contamination than iPads/PCs. While six bacterial isolates exhibited resistance to antibiotics, Staphylococcus sciuri, S. aureus, Staphylococcus hominis subspecies hominis, and S. epidermidis showed multidrug resistance (MDR).

CONCLUSION: This research found that all the tested mobile phones harbored microorganisms, indicating they could transmit diseases. This emphasizes the critical need for hand hygiene following use to curtail the propagation of infection and bolster overall public health outcomes.