Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2009.882.884KilicI.H. OzaslanM. KaragozI.D. ZerY. DavutogluV. 1120091211Mobile phones are dispensable accessories in social
life and normally they are not cleaned properly. Therefore, they serve
as a reservoir of bacteria and may cause nosocomial infections in hospitals.
The purpose of this study was to investigate microbiological colonization
of mobile phones used by healthcare staffs. The study was carried out
collecting swab samples with Cary-Blair transport medium from mobile phones
of attending healthcare staffs from different departments of three hospitals
in March, 2008. All collected samples were inoculated in 5% sheep blood
agar, eosin-methylene blue agar and Sabouraud Dextrose agar. Isolated
bacteria were identified using by classic technique and Vitec2 (Biomerieux,
France) full automated bacteria identification system. Growth was observed
in 65 of collected 106 samples, corresponding to 61.3%. The most frequent
bacteria were Staphylococcus epidermidis followed by Staphylococcus
aureus, Bacillus sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Escherichia
coli, respectively. In conclusion, bacteria were colonized on mobile
phones frequently and mobile phones may become reservoir of microorganism
for nosocomial infections.]]>Brady, R.R.W., A. Wasson, I. Stirling, C. McAllister and N.N. Damani,200662123125Cohen, H.A., J. Amir, A. Matalon, R. Mayan, S. Beni and A. Barzilai,199714446449Karabay, O., E. Koçoğlu and M. Tahtacı,200717273Ekrakene, T. and C.L. Igeleke,2007320092012