Study of bacterial contamination of smartphones owned by health sciences students at the university teaching hospitals of southern Tunisia

Introduction. Smartphones (SP) of health-care-workers and trainees could be easily and quickly contaminated by pathogens.

The purpose of the study. To evaluate effectiveness of the disinfection with 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on SP contamination, identify the prevalence of bacterial contamination of SP used by health sciences students at Sfax, Southern Tunisia and to delineate its associated factors.

Materials and Methods. It was a prospective, pre-post quasi-experimental study in the Institute of Nursing Sciences of Sfax to assess SP’ contamination before and after disinfection with 70% IPA conducted between September and November 2021 among 100 trainees in the clinical services of the two University Hospital Centers of Sfax, Southern Tunisia (Habib Bourguiba Hospital and Hedi Chaker Hospital) and who were carrying SP during their internship.

Results. A total of 100 enrollees were included in the survey. The mean age was 20.37 ± 0.7 years. There were 58 (58%) females giving a male-to-female ratio of 0.72. The contamination rate of SP was of 62% among participants. Associated factors of SP contaminations were the 3^rd year level (OR = 2.6; p = 0.049), working at a pediatric ward (OR = 2.7; p = 0.042), working at intensive care unit (OR = 3.2; p = 0.018) and working at Habib Bourguiba University Hospital (OR = 2.5; p = 0.026). Isolated germs were coagulase negative Staphylococci (79%), followed by Bacillus spp. (42%), Micrococcus spp. (29%), Corynebacterium spp. (11.3%) and gram-negative-bacilli of the environment (6.4%). Disinfection with 70% IPA had proven to be effective, as it had allowed a reduction rate of 96.25% of the growth of germs.

Research limitations. It included the cross-sectional design, through which it was possible to assess only the association between facts, but not to confirm causal relationships and temporality.

Conclusions. High level of bacterial contamination of trainees’ SP was observed causing high risk for pathogens spread. The surface spread method using 70% IPA seem to be simple, effective and riskless for SP disinfection.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require submission of the opinion of the biomedical ethics committee or other documents.

Contribution of the authors:
Nouha Ketata, Yosra Mejdoub, Imen Turki, Jihen Jdidi, Sourour Yaich — research concept and design, data collection, processing, and analysis, writing, and editing;
Salma Maalej, Maissa Ben Jmaa, Salma Smaoui, Mouna Baklouti, Ferièle Messadi-Akrout — research concept and design, data collection, processing, and analysis.
All co-authors – approval of the final version of the article, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Received: August 29, 2023 / Accepted: March 19, 2024 / Published: June 30, 2025

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