Use of cellular telephones and transmission of pathogens by medical staff in New York and Israel.
Hands and instruments used by healthcare workers may serve as vectors for the nosocomial transmission of microorganisms. The use of cellular telephones by medical personnel and the associated nosocomial transmission of pathogens have not been thoroughly examined. Findings from our study show that cellular telephones are commonly used by hospital personnel, even during patient contact. One-fifth of the cellular telephones examined in this study were found to harbor pathogenic microorganisms, showing that these devices may serve as vectors for transmission to patients.
Goldblatt
Joseph Gil
JG
Infectious Diseases Unit, Bnai Zion Medical Center, Haifa, 31048, Israel. jgold87@gmail.com
Krief
Iris
I
Klonsky
Tal
T
Haller
Daniel
D
Milloul
Victor
V
Sixsmith
Diane M
DM
Srugo
Isaac
I
Potasman
Israel
I
D040421:Cell Phone; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000635:transmission*; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005260:Female; D050456:Fomites; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D009518:New York; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods