Antimicrobial sensitivity patterns of Staphylococcus species isolated from mobile phones and implications in the health sector

ObjectivesThe aim of this research was to determine drug sensitivity profiles of Staphylococcus species isolated from mobile phones of students in Microbiology and Biomedical Laboratory Sciences from UZIMA University, Kisumu (Kenya) and the University Colleges Leuven-Limburg, Leuven (Belgium), respectively.ResultsAll mobile phones (16/16, 100%) had gram-positive bacteria. 3/8 (37.5%) mobile devices had Staphylococcus aureus. 2/3 (67%) Staphylococcus aureus strains were resistant to ampicillin, oxacillin, ceftazidime, vancomycin and amoxicillin. Guidelines for disinfection of mobile phones need to be developed urgently to stop transmission of resistant bacteria.

Automated summary

The research revealed that all students' mobile phones harbored gram-positive bacteria, with 37.5% containing Staphylococcus aureus, most of which were resistant to multiple antibiotics. Urgent guidelines for disinfecting mobile phones are required to prevent the transmission of resistant bacteria.