Abstract
Aim: Mobile phones and its usage are inevitable in this tech-savvy medical setup. Their use in the healthcare settings represents a potential source of spreading microorganisms that may contribute to hospital-acquired infections. In recent years much concern has been expressed over the frequent use of these devices by healthcare workers and clinical medical students even in washrooms that can serve as a vector for transmitting pathogens to the patients. Material and Method: This cross-sectional study identified microbiological contamination of mobile phones used by clinical medical students at Northern Border University (NBU), Arar, Saudi Arabia. Results: Out of 110 mobile phones screened, 99(90%) were contaminated. The most abundant isolates include coagulase-negative Staphylococci 26 (24 %) followed by Staphylococcus emus 20 (18%). Klebsiella pneumoniae 6 (5.4%) and Escherichia coli 2 (1.8%). Seventy-five (68%) of Gram-positive bacilli were isolated. Discussion: Our study indicates that mobile phones can serve as reservoirs of both pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. To reduce the risk of cross-contamination proper guidelines of hand hygiene; restricted use of mobile devices during clinical working hours and frequent decontamination of these devices and awareness of its usage should be promoted.