Does using a cellular mobile phone increase the risk of nosocomial infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A systematic review

Hygiene practices and antibiotic resistance among dental and medical students: a comparative study

PURPOSE

Healthcare students' hand and smartphone hygiene is critical due to potential pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria transmission. This study evaluates hygiene practices in medical and dental students at Kuwait University, exploring antibiotic resistance gene prevalence.

METHODS

Swab samples were collected from the hands and smartphones of 32 medical and 30 dental students. These samples were cultured on Columbia Blood Agar and McConkey Agar plates to quantify bacterial colony-forming units (CFUs). The extracted DNA from these colonies underwent RT-PCR to identify antibiotic resistance genes, including tem-1, shv, blaZ, and mecA. Additionally, a questionnaire addressing hygiene practices was distributed post-sample collection.

RESULTS

Medical students exhibited more frequent hand hygiene compared to dental students (P ≤ 0.0001). Although significantly fewer bacterial CFUs were found on medical students' smartphones (mean = 35 ± 53) than dental students' (mean = 89 ± 129) (P ≤ 0.05), no significant differences were observed in CFU counts on their hands (medical: mean = 17 ± 37; dental: mean = 96 ± 229). Detection of at least one of the targeted antibiotic resistance genes on medical (89% hands, 52% smartphones) and dental students' (79% hands, 63% smartphones) was not statistically significant. However, the prevalence of two genes, tem-1 and shv, was significantly higher on medical students' hands (78% and 65%, respectively) than on dental students' hands (32% and 28%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Clinically significant prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes were found on medical and dental students' hands and smartphones, emphasizing the importance of ongoing education regarding hand hygiene and smartphone disinfection. This continuous reinforcement in the curriculum is crucial to minimizing the risk of cross-contamination.

Bacterial contamination of healthcare workers' mobile phones in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Mobile phones are potential reservoirs for pathogens and sources of healthcare-associated infections. More microbes can be found on a mobile phone than on a man's lavatory seat, the sole of a shoe, or a door handle. When examining patients, frequent handling of mobile phones can spread bacteria. Nevertheless, evidence of bacterial contamination of mobile phones used by healthcare workers in Africa was inconclusive. Thus, this meta-analysis and systematic review was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of bacterial contamination of mobile phones used by healthcare workers and the most frequent bacterial isolates in Africa.

METHODS

We systematically retrieved relevant studies using PubMed/MEDLINE, POPLINE, HINARI, Science Direct, Cochrane Library databases, and Google Scholar from July 1, 2023 to August 08, 2023. We included observational studies that reported the prevalence of bacterial contamination of mobile phones among healthcare workers. The DerSimonian-random Laird's effect model was used to calculate effect estimates for the pooled prevalence of bacterial contamination in mobile phones and a 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

Among 4544 retrieved studies, 26 eligible articles with a total sample size of 2,887 study participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of mobile phone bacterial contamination among healthcare workers was 84.5% (95% CI 81.7, 87.4%; I2 = 97.9%, p value < 0.001). The most dominant type of bacteria isolated in this review was coagulase-negative staphylococci (CONS) which accounted for 44.0% of the pooled contamination rate of mobile phones used by healthcare workers, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (31.3%), and Escherichia coli (10.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

In this review, the contamination of mobile phones used by HCWs with various bacterial isolates was shown to be considerable. The most prevalent bacteria isolates were coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus aurous, and Escherichia coli. The prevalence of bacterial contamination in mobile phones varies by country and sub-region. Hence, healthcare planners and policymakers should establish norms to manage healthcare workers' hand hygiene and disinfection after using mobile phones.

Parental perspectives on technology use to enhance communication and closeness during the COVID-19 parental presence restrictions

Objective

To explore parental perspectives on the use of technology in neonatal intensive care units (NICU), and its impact during COVID-19 parental presence restrictions.

Methods

Co-designed online survey targeting parents of infants admitted to a Canadian NICU from March 1st, 2020 until March 5th, 2021.

Results

Parents (n = 117) completed the survey from 38 NICUs. Large variation in policies regarding parental permission to use technology across sites was reported. Restrictive use of technology was reported as a source of parental stress. While families felt that technology helped them feel close to their infant when they could not be in the NICU, it did not replace being in-person.

Conclusion

Large variation in policies were reported. Despite concerns about devices in NICUs, evidence on how to mitigate these concerns exists. Benefits of using technology to enhance parental experiences appear substantial. Future study is needed to inform recommendations on technology use in the NICU.

Efficacy of a bioburden reduction intervention on mobile phones of critical care nurses

BACKGROUND

Current literature identifies mobile phones of staff as potential vectors for hospital-acquired infection.

METHODS

A pre-post, quasi-experimental study was conducted in a 20 bed intensive care unit (ICU). Surface bioburden of personal and shared mobile phones was estimated with a luminometer, expressed in Relative Light Units (RLU). Effects of a simple sanitizing wipe-based disinfection routine were measured at baseline, and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after implementation of the disinfection routine.

RESULTS

Personal mobile phones and shared phones of 30 on-shift ICU nurses were analyzed at each collection. RLUs for personal phones decreased from baseline to 12 months post-intervention (Geometric mean 497.1 vs 63.36 RLU; adj P < .001), while shared unit phones also demonstrated a decrease from baseline to 12 months post-intervention (Geometric mean 417.4 vs 45.90 RLU; adj P < .001).

DISCUSSION

No recommended practice yet exists for disinfection of mobile phones in the acute care setting. The disinfection method and routine used in this study may have implications for use in acute care settings to reduce opportunities for infectious disease transmission.

Highly Efficient Antibacterial Polymer Composites Based on Hydrophobic Riboflavin Carbon Polymerized Dots

Development of new types of antimicrobial coatings is of utmost importance due to increasing problems with pathogen transmission from various infectious surfaces to human beings. In this study, new types of highly potent antimicrobial polyurethane composite films encapsulated by hydrophobic riboflavin-based carbon polymer dots are presented. Detailed structural, optical, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic investigations of these composites were conducted. Low-power blue light triggered the composites to eradicate Escherichia coli in 30 min, whereas the same effect toward Staphylococcus aureus was reached after 60 min. These composites also show low toxicity against MRC-5 cells. In this way, RF-CPD composites can be used for sterilization of highly touched objects in the healthcare industry.

Relationships between symptom control, medication management, and health literacy of patients with asthma in Vietnam

Background

Asthma is a significant health issue among Vietnamese adults in both urban and rural areas. The disease needs serious concern to minimize impact and improve the situation.

Objective

This study aimed to describe the level of health literacy, symptom control, and medication management and determine the relationships among them in patients with asthma in Da Nang, Vietnam.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 84 patients with asthma. The questionnaires were used in this study, including demographic form, the Short-Form Health Literacy questionnaire (HL-SF12), Asthma Control Test (ACT), and Medication Adherence Reporting Scale for Asthma (MARS-A). Pearson product-moment correlation was applied to determine the relationship between health literacy, symptom control, and medication management.

Results

The score revealed for general-health literacy, symptom control, and medication management were 28.70 (SD = 9.66), 17.72 (SD = 4.67), and 3.63 (SD = 0.75), respectively. Health literacy level had moderate positive relationships with symptom control (r = 0.41) and medication management (r = 0.44).

Conclusion

The patients had limited health literacy, partially controlled symptom, and poor adherence to the medication. Health literacy level had moderate positive relationships with symptom control and medication management. These findings are crucial for effective treatment and management of the disease in Vietnam. To improve medication management and symptom control among patients with asthma, nurses should concern patients' health literacy level.

Relationship between hand hygiene behavior and Staphylococcus aureus colonization on cell phones of nurses in the intensive care unit

Background

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) are infections that often occur in hospitals with Staphylococcus aureus as the primary cause. Staphylococcus aureus is usually found on nurses' hands and easily transferred by contact. Cell phones can be a convenient medium for transmitting bacteria. Accordingly, hand washing is one of the effective ways to prevent the transmission of Staphylococcus aureus.

Objective

This study aimed to determine the relationship between hand hygiene behavior and the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus on cell phones of nurses in the intensive care unit of the academic hospital.

Methods

This was an observational study with a cross-sectional design conducted from December 2019 to January 2020. The observations of hand hygiene behaviors were performed on 37 nurses selected using total sampling. Colonization of bacteria on each nurses' cell phone was calculated by swabbing the cell phones' surface. Colony counting was done using the total plate count method. Spearman Rank test and Mann Whitney test were used for data analysis.

Results

The nurses' hand hygiene behavior was 46.06%. Staphylococcus aureus colonization was found on 18.2% of the nurses' cell phones. However, there was no significant relationship between the nurses' hand hygiene behavior and the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus on their cell phones.

Conclusion

The hand hygiene behavior of nurses was still low, and there was evidence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization on their cell phones. As there was no relationship between the nurses' hand hygiene behavior with the colonization of Staphylococcus aureus on the cell phones, further research is needed to determine if there is an increase or decrease in colonization before and after regular observations.

A review on mobile phones as bacterial reservoirs in healthcare environments and potential device decontamination approaches

Mobile communication devices (MCDs), including cell phones and smart phones, have become an essential part of everyday life. Despite their frequent usage, most people, even healthcare personnel, often ignore the possibility that these devices might accumulate to carry a variety of microbial flora during and after the inspection of patients. The handling of MCDs with unwashed hands and/or their seldom cleaning can aggravate potential health risks. Many of the harbored bacteria species can be harmful to immune-suppressed patients for whom the disinfection precautions should be taken more seriously. In this review, we discuss the significance of maintaining the cleanliness of mobile devices, especially in healthcare settings, to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections in patients. Furthermore, we discuss strategies to address microbial contamination of MCDs to maintain good hand hygiene for the users of smartphones or other mobile communication devices. These techniques are capable of providing instant disinfection of the devices along with residual effects over prolonged periods.