title: [Contamination and Cleaning of Touch Panels Used in Everyday Life and the Awareness of Persons in Charge and Users of Devices about Contamination].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to clarify the contamination and cleaning of touch panels used in everyday life and the awareness of persons in charge and users of devices about contamination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples from touch panels were cultured to detect viable bacteria (n=132), Staphylococcus aureus (n=66) and Escherichia coli (n=64). A questionnaire survey was conducted on persons in charge and users of the devices on the day of sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Viable bacterial cells were detected in more than 90% of the automatic teller machines (ATMs) at banks, the ticket machines at stations, and the copy machines at convenience stores. S. aureus and E. coli were detected in more than one-half of such devices examined. The detection rate of viable bacterial cells in smartphones was 57.5% and was lower than those in other devices. More than 65% of the ATMs, ticket machines, and copy machines were cleaned once or twice a day. More than one-half of the users of smartphones or button-type mobile phones did not clean their devices. Those who did not aware about the contamination of touch panels were 46.6% of the persons in charge and 38.2% of the users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is necessary to examine the suitable number of times and methods of cleaning of touch panels and to raise the awareness of persons in charge or users of such devices about contamination.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Health and Nursing Science, Wakayama Medical University.
authors.forename: Ikuharu
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morioka
authors.forename: Kazu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uda
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D040421:Cell Phone; D003201:Computers; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012499:Sanitation; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014110:Touch; D055815:Young Adult