Easy Health Options Staff | Apr 13, 2012 | Comments 0
Visited somebody in the hospital recently? Better wash off your cellphone.
When a team of researchers swabbed bacterial samples from cellphones, they discovered a nasty collection of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bugs. Although the scientists expected to find bad bugs on the phones of healthcare workers, they uncovered an even more worrisome microscopic menagerie of frightening creatures on phones of patients and their visitors.
“The types of bacteria that were found on the patients’ (phones) and their resistance patterns were very worrisome,” state the researchers. “Some investigators have reported that (cellphones) of medical personnel may be a potential source of bacterial pathogens in the hospital setting. Our findings suggest that mobile phones of patients, patients’ companions and visitors represent higher risk for nosocomial pathogen colonization than those of (workers). Specific infection control measures may be required for this threat.”
The infections caused by the kinds of microorganisms found on these phones affect more than one out of every four hospital patients. In U.S. hospitals, they cause 1.7 million infections a year and are associated with approximately 100,000 deaths. It is estimated that one-third of these infections could be prevented by adhering to standard infection control guidelines.
http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/the-nasty-bugs-on-your-cell-phone/
