Identification and Specificity of the Pathogenic and Non Pathogenic

Microorganisms Present in Mobile Phones of the BMLS 3A Students of

Kidapawan Doctors College Inc.

Research Background

A mobile or cellular telephone is a long-range, portable electronic device for

personal telecommunication. The vast majority of mobile phones are hand-held. In
less than 20 years, mobile phones have gone from being rare and expensive pieces of
equipment used primarily by the business elite, to a common low-cost personal item.
In many countries, mobile phones outnumber landline telephones since most adults
and many children now own mobile phones. At present, Asia has the fastest growth
rate of cellular phone subscribers in the world. ( Igeleke, 2007)

Because of the achievements and benefits of the mobile phone, it is easy to overlook
its hazard to health; this is against the background that many users may have no
regard for personal hygiene, and the number of people who may use the same phone.
This constant handling of the phone by different users exposes it to an array of
microorganisms, and makes it a good carrier for microbes, especially those associated
with the skin resulting in the spread of different microorganisms from user to user.

Research Problems
Microbiologists say that the combination of constant handling with the heat
generated by the phones creates a prime breeding ground for many microorganisms
that are normally found on the skin. Staphylococci, particularly S. epidermidis are
members of the normal flora of the human skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.
Nasal carriage of S. aureus occurs in 20-50% of human beings. Staphylococci are also
found regularly on clothes, bed linen, and other human environments. Staphylococcus
aureus, a common bacterium found on the skin and in the noses of up to 25% of
healthy people and animals can cause illnesses from pimples and boils to pneumonia
and meningitis, and is a close relative of methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA). The main reservoir of S. aureus is the hand from where it is introduced into
food during preparation. The hand serves as a major vehicle of transmission of
various microbes including the enteric species. Proteus mirabilis is one of the most
common Gram-negative pathogens encountered in clinical specimens. It can cause a
variety of community- or hospital-acquired infections, including thoseof the urinary
tract, respiratory tract, wounds and burns, bacteraemia, neonatal meningoencephalitis,
empyema and osteomyelitis. After Escherichia coli, P. mirabilis is the memberof the
Enterobacteriaceae most often isolated in European clinical microbiology
laboratories, accounting for ~3% of nosocomial infections in the United
States.Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a metabolically versatile γ-Proteobacterium, which
inhabits terrestrial, aquatic, animal-, human-, and plant-host-associated environments.
(Melnick J, Edward A. 2004.)

Research Objectives
• Our study aimed at investigating bacterial contamination of the mobile phone to
identify the microbes regularly associated with mobile phones
• To able to know if there's pathogenicity from the microbes associated with mobile
phones
• To identify the most important microbial species associated with these phones in
order to take the necessary remedial measures
Statement of the Problem
Mobile phones due to their personal nature and proximity to sensitive part of our
bodies in usage such as faces, ears, lips and hands of users could become veritable
reservoirs of pathogens that could result in infections. In a separate study, researchers
found that 95% of phones were contaminated with some kind of bacteria, many of
which were resistant to multiple antibiotics. By also testing the participants’ hands,
the researchers were able to show that a significant number of germs were transferred
from their hands to their phones, and vice versa. In fact, about 30% of the bacteria on
the phones ended up on the owner’s hands.
Menshealth recently interviewed Dr. Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology
at the University of Arizona who says this is not surprising. “Nobody ever cleans or
disinfects their phone, so the germs and bacteria just keep building up,” he explains.
What types of germs? E. coli, as well as influenza and MRSA, a germ that causes
rashes and skin infections.
Generally, the greater the concentration of the microbe, the longer it survives
and survival can range from minutes to months. This is a cause for concern since
these pathogenic isolates are capable of causing diseases in anyone who gets
contaminated while using the mobile phone. (Mashables, 2013) Lack of attention or
having only little awareness about potential risks caused by mobile phone microbial
contamination can lead us to a ppssible disease. The major problem of this study is the
role of pathogenic microorganisms as a vehicle for transmission of infections and
diseases.
Thus, the goal of this study is to be aware of the pathogenic microorganisms
present in mobile phones which can cause infections. This study is also beneficiary in
a way that we can be able to prevent these microorganisms from their proliferation in
our mobile phones and we can also prevent the transmission of these bacteria which
came from our hands. Specifically, we want to answer these following questions:
RQ1: What species of bacteria are present or can be found in the mobile phones of the
BMLS 3A students of Kidapawan Doctors College Inc.? Are they pathogenic or non
panthogenic?
RQ2: How can we prevent the proliferation of these bacteria and the transmission of
these bacteria from our hands to our mobile phones?
RQ3: Why and how does our hands are associated with the transmission of
pathogenic and nonpathogenic microorganisms in our mobile pbones? Can we prevent
this?

Hypotheses:
Ha: There are nonpathogenic microorganisms present in mobile phones
Ho: There are pathogenic microorganisms present in mobile phones that can
cause diseases such as skin rashes
Ha: Our hands are associated with the transmission of pathogenic and
nonpathogenic microorganisms in mobile phones
Ho: Our hands are not associated with the transmission of pathogenic and
nonpathogenic microorganisms in mobile phones
Review of Related Literature

The review of literature for this study focuses on procedures on how to

identify and specify the pathogenic and nonpathogenic microorganisms present in the
mobile phones of Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Science 3A students of the
Kidapawan Doctors College Incorporated. Since our main goal is to identify and
specify bacteria present in mobile phones, we must first know the historical overview
of our topic. The review of literature for this study also include the difference between
the pathogenic and nonpathogenic microorganisms, the role of mobile phones as a
vehicle for transmitting bacteria, and prevention.

A. Historical Overview
Bacteriology was established in the 1880s as the science of disease germs. However,
experimental explorations in the world of microorganisms had started already in the
seventeenth century, and botanists and zoologists in the eighteenth century had tried
to structure and classify the world of the invisible living organisms. The science of
microorganisms moved into the realm of medicine with the German physician Robert
Koch. Koch identified several bacteria as the causes of infectious diseases and he
contributed greatly to the stabilization of distinct bacterial species. Medical
bacteriology promoted laboratory medicine and Louis Pasteur in Paris developed
techniques to attenuate microorganisms in order to produce vaccines.

Antibiotics became widely available only after the Second World War. Bacteriology
has also developed in relation to agriculture, water (pollution) and biotechnology.
Non‐medical approaches to the micro‐world contributed to a broader understanding of
microorganisms not only as pathogens but as essential entities in ecological life
cycles. At the turn of the twenty‐first century, reductionist views of host–parasite
relation gave way to more complex, process‐orientated and environmentalist
approaches.

Cell phones can act as a reservoir of a wide variety of bacterial species, many
of which have the potential to be pathogenic. The majority of bacterial species that
have been found on phone surfaces are those that are part of the normal flora of the
skin and body, due to the constant contact with the hands and face. The normal flora
of the skin includes up to 1012 bacterial cells, the most common species
being Staphylococcus epidermidis and Corynebacteria. In addition, bacteria found in
the mouth and the upper respiratory tract can also spread through aerosols and
droplets that are released while breathing or talking into the mouthpiece. Many
species are resistant to desiccation and can persist on phone surfaces for weeks,
with gram-negative bacteria usually persisting longer than their gram-positive
counterparts. Despite this, actual colonization and growth of bacteria is rare due to the
general lack of nutrients and moisture on the plastic and glass surfaces of phones.

Key Organisms

1. Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most commonly found species on phone
surfaces. S. epidermidis is a gram-positive cocci, and is a commensal that makes up a
large part of the anormal human skin flora. Despite this, S. epidermidis has the
potential to be a pathogen, especially in hospital patients with compromised immune
systems. While S. epidermidis has not shown the ability to colonize and grow on
phones, electronic devices can act as vectors that transmit the bacteria through
contact. This poses a problem as S. epidermidis can be transmitted onto other plastic
surfaces. The contamination rate of S. epidermidis on phones is constant throughout
the year, with little to no seasonal variation.

2. Acinetobacter baumannii
Acinetobacter baumannii is a ubiquitous bacterium that can be found in the normal
skin flora, as well as in soil and bodies of water, amongst others. A. baumannii has
been reported to contaminate cell phones, hospital phones, as well as other electronic
devices such as keyboards. Some strains have also shown to be extremely resistant to
desiccation, surviving for several months with little to no reduction in the number of
colonies.
 3. Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of nosocomial infections. S.
aureus is normally found on the skin, as well the respiratory tract of humans. S.
aureus can cause a host of various illnesses, from minor skin infections to much more
serious diseases which include pneumonia and bacteremia. Methicillin-
resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is of particular importance in the medical
community, as it has evolved resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. However, their
occurrence on phone surfaces has been shown to be relatively rare compared to
susceptible strains, with a higher rate of occurrence amongst phones in the hospital
than on personal mobile phones.

B. Pathogenic VS Non-pathogenic
The terms pathogenic and non-pathogenic are often are applied to various microbes.
By definition, a pathogen is a specific cause of a disease, while a non-pathogen is
considered harmless. In reality, the distinction is not always clear. In 1890, the
German physician Robert Koch formalized the criteria to classify bacteria as
pathogenic.

While these definitions made sense at the time, advances in microbial sampling and
identification have shown that they are unable to account for microbes that cause
disease in some individuals but are also present in normal individuals without causing
disease. A harmless microbe could become an opportunistic pathogen, especially in
an immune-compromised host. For example, Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that
is part of the normal human skin flora is also a common cause of nosocomial
(hospital-acquired) infections.

Germ Theory

Germ theory states that specific microscopic organisms are the cause of
specific diseases. The theory was developed, proved, and popularized in Europe and
North America between about 1850 and 1920. Because its implications were so
different from the centuries–old humoral theory, germ theory revolutionized the
theory and practice of medicine and the understanding of disease. It was, however,
compatible with existing ideas about health, especially those associated with 19th–
century hygiene and sanitation.

Germ theory encouraged the reduction of diseases to simple interactions

between microorganism and host, without the need for the elaborate attention to
environmental influences, diet, climate, ventilation, and so on that were essential to
earlier understandings of health and disease. Because of this, some important
proponents of hygiene and sanitation—including Florence Nightingale and Rudolf
Virchow—did not necessarily believe that acceptance of the germ theory would be
associated with improvements in public health. Germ theory was developed in a
social, cultural, and economic milieu increasingly centered on the values of mass
production, mass consumption, standardization, and efficiency, all of which were
compatible with germ theory science and popularization. The dramatic successes of
germ theory, together with a new association of medicine with the laboratory, brought
about an elevation in the social status of physicians and of medical research and
practice during a period of public skepticism about the value of traditional medical
practice.

C. The Role of Mobile Phones as a Vehicle in Transmitting Bacteria

Research has shown there can be significant interpersonal variation in human
microbiota, including for those microbes found on the skin (Fierer et al., 2008; The
Human Microbiome Project Consortium, 2012; Grice et al., 2009; Grice & Segre,
2011). The mobile phone is a personal effect so regularly carried it has been described
in popular culture as ‘an extension of self’. The reality that many people take their
phones with them everywhere they go suggests that, at any given point in time,
phones and their owners are exposed to similar environmental microbiota, which can
lead to overlapping microbiota composition. The frequency with which people
directly touch their phones provides an additional mechanism leading to shared
microbiota composition. Research has shown that traces of human microbiota are left
in rooms we occupy and on surfaces we touch (Flores et al., 2011; Hospodsky et al.,
2012; Flores et al., 2013; Meadow et al., 2013; Dunn et al., 2013; Meadow et al.,
2014). In some cases, these microbial signatures can be attributed to individual people
(Fierer et al., 2010). Thus mobile phones presumably carry a strong signal of their
owner’s human microbiome, and might be identifiable to that owner.

A cross-sectional study was carried out to isolate and identify bacteria from
mobile phones of volunteers in the community. A total of 192 mobile phones from
102 males and 90 females were swabbed and cultured. The bacteria were identified
by gram staining and conventional biochemical tests. A total of 176 mobile phones
(91.7 %) showed bacterial contamination. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus was
the most prevalent (69.3 %) followed by Micrococci (51.8 %), Klebsiella (1.5 %)
and Pseudomonas (1 %). Furthermore, the use of phone cover was found to reduce
microbial growth. significant associations were also found between bacterial growth
and female participants, agricultural workers, mobile phones older than 6 months
and sharing of mobile phones (p < 0.05). Mobile phones from the community carry
potential pathogens. Cleaning of mobile phones should be encouraged and should be
preferably stored in pockets or carry cases.

D. Prevention
Numerous studies have been conducted in recent years, and the results are all
pretty much the same. Essentially, your phone is a breeding ground for germs and
it's dirtier than a toilet seat. A few of the standout germs that could be lurking on your
phone include E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said, “antibiotic resistance is growing,

and we are fast running out of treatment options.” The simplest way to keep mobile
phones clean and hygienic is not to carry them to toilets and to occasionally wipe
them with semi-dry piece of cloth moistened with soap water and then fully drying the
handset before putting it to use. It is recommended that commercial cleaning fluids
and sanitizer should not be used and that the mobile device should be switched off
before any cleaning is attempted.
Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

According to AI-Abdalall (2010) and Tagoe et al (2011).Microbiological

standards in hygiene are necessary for a healthy life. The result of present study
showed bacterial contamination of mobile phones used by the students. The
bacteria belonging to Bacillus genus and Pseudomonas genus were isolated in the
present study.

Further Tagoe et al (2011) reported that the mobile phones of students of Cape
Coast University showed a high level of bacterial contamination. Bacterial
isolate included Bacillus species and Pseudomonas species. Interestingly, both
species could be identified in the present investigation. The widespread isolation
of Bacillus confirms the ubiquitous nature of Bacillus species giving it greater
colonization ability as well as the ability of its spores to resist environmental
changes. Base on presentation and previous studies, they concluded that Bacillus
species are the major flora of mobile phones.

(Karabay et al., 2007) Further, it is known that, Bacillus species and

Pseudomonas species are associated with hospital infections that serve as a
vehicle for the spread of nosocomial infections. These organisms may probably
have found their way into the phone through the skin and from hand to hand. This
is because the isolated bacteria are a subset of the normal micro biota of the skin
as proposed by earlier researches.

Recently (Julian et al., 2012) reported the isolation of methicillin resistant S.

aureus from mobile phones. Present investigation, the phenomenon of multi drug
resistance was not observed among mobile-associated pathogens which indicate
that infection by such bacteria is fully treatable. The infection with such drug
resistant pathogen should be seriously considered and frequent monitoring of
 mobile phone-associated pathogens becomes necessary. Today mobile phones are
important devices for both professional and social lives.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

Though the benefits and achievements of the mobile phone, it is easy to

overlook its hazard to health this is against the background that many users may have
no regard for personal hygiene, and the number of people who may use the same
phone. The constant handling of the phone by different users exposes it to many of
microorganisms, and makes it a good carrier for microbes, especially those associated
with the skin resulting in the spread of different microorganisms from user to user.
Due to the combination of constant heat generated with handling the by the phones
creates a prime breeding ground for many that are normally found on the skin. Our
research aims to show that the mobile phone could be a health hazard with thousands
of microorganisms living on our phones in each square inch or part. Our study aimed
at investigating bacterial contamination of the mobile phones of students of BMLS 3A
in Kidapawan Doctor’s College Inc. to identify the microbes and their pathogenicity.

Significance of the Study

Cellphones are now an extension of a person’s lifestyle, accompanying them

everywhere. There is evidence from previous studies revealed that 20% of cell phones
belonging to hospital workers are contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. Given that
medical students are present in healthcare settings, mobile devices belonging to this
group may act as mode for transmission of infection to patients if these devices are
not used cautiously. The use of mobile phones by BMLS 3A lectures in the classroom
and technologists in the laboratories may have serious hygiene consequences, because
unlike fixed phones, mobile phones are often carried about within and outside the
classrooms and laboratories.

"The sample size was small, but the findings, while intuitive, were revealing," said
lead author James F. Meadow, a postdoctoral researcher in the Biology and the Built
Environment Center at the University of Oregon.
"This project was a proof-of-concept to see if our favorite and most closely held
possessions microbially resemble us. We are ultimately interested in the possibility of
using personal effects as a non-invasive way to monitor our health and our contact
with the surrounding environment,"
he said.

Technologists need to take note of how and where they use their cell phones,
draft new guidelines and prevention tips, and help raise awareness. Everyone should
clean their cell phones but especially technologists in the microbiology and food
science laboratory whose hygiene impacts consumers’ well-being.
Definition of Terms
 Mobile phones - is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a
radio frequency link while the user is moving within a telephone service area.
 Microbiologist - a branch of biology dealing with microscopic forms of life.
 Staphylococci - is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria commonly found on the
skin and hair as well as in the noses and throats of people and animals.
o They appear round (cocci), and form in grape-like clusters.
 Staphylococcus epidermidis - is a Gram-positive bacterium came to the genus
Staphylococcus that is a part of human normal flora typically the skin flora,
and less commonly the mucosal flora
 Gastrointestinal tract - also known as the GI tract, it is the pathway where
food takes from the mouth, through the esophagus, stomach, small and large
intestine within where the nutrients are extracted for the needs of the body.
 Pneumonia - an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the
microscopic air sacs known as alveoli.
 Meningitis - an acute inflammation of the protective membranes covering the
brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges.
 MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) - is a bacterium that
causes infections in different parts of the body, tougher to treat than most
strains of staphylococcus aureus or staph because it's resistant to some
commonly used antibiotics.
 Normal flora - are bacterias that found in or on our bodies on a semi-
permanent basis without causing disease.
 Proteus mirabilis - is a type of bacteria that can cause infections in the body,
particularly urinary tract infections.
 Bacteraemia - is the presence of bacteria in the blood.
 Neonatal - relating to newborn children
 Meningoencephalitis - the presence of inflammation in both the brain
parenchyma and the meninges that is associated with clinical evidence of
neurologic dysfunction.
 Empyema - the collection of pus in the space between the lung and the inner
surface of the chest wall (pleural space)
 Escherichia colli - a type of bacteria that lives in your intestines
 Enterobacteriaceae - Large family of Gram-negative bacteria that includes
many of the more familiar pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli,
Yersinia pestis, Klebsiella and Shigella, Proteus, Enterobacter, Serratia, and
Citrobacter.
 Nosocomial infection - known as hospital-acquired/associated infections that
are caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens
 Pseudomonas aeruginosa - Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that can
cause disease in plants and animals, including humans
 Proteobacterium - a major phylum of Gram-negative bacteria
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