Relation of Handwashing and Isolate of Bacteria from Mobile Phones of Healthcare Workers in a University Hospital

Mobile phones used by healthcare workers are not only an indicator of the contamination of healthcare associated bacteria, but can also be another source of infection. The number and time of handwashing, mobile phone operation time and disinfection were highly relation with the bacterial contamination on the surface of mobile phone. Healthcare associated bacteria isolated from the mobile phone surface were 28 MRCoNS (48.3%), 14 S. aureus (24.2%), 3 MRSA (5.2%), 5 A. baumannii (8.6%), 3 MRAB (5.2%), 3 Entrococcus spp. (5.1%), 2 Pantoea spp. (3.4%), 2 A. lowffii (3.4%), 1 E. cloacae (1.7%), 1 P. stutzeri (1.7%), and P. mirabillis (1.7%). For isolation according to department, 2 MRAB from the emergency room and 1 MRSA from intensive unit, the radiology team and the rehabilitation medical team, respectively were isolated. As a result of the relation of isolates from the department of patient contact (ER, RT, GW, CP, ICU, RMT), the bacterial isolation rate was 75% and the department of patient non-contact (MRT) was 10%.