[ad_1]
Experts warn that wearables are breeding grounds for pathogens, and research shows that if these devices are not sanitized, hand hygiene practices are negated
file photo
A new study highlights the need to incorporate the disinfection of mobile phones and smartwatches into global infection control protocols to improve public health.
Smart devices such as cell phones and smart watches are potential breeding grounds for disease-causing pathogens, as warm temperatures and frequently touched surfaces are ideal conditions for bacteria to multiply.
The need for this is underscored by a study by the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), in collaboration with Dubai Police and Bond University in Queensland, Australia.
This new study shows that hand hygiene practices can be negated if wearable devices remain unsterilized.
The researchers recommend regularly sanitizing smartphones with alcohol wipes to remove as much germs as possible.
Professor Abiola Senok, Chair of Basic Medicine and Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the MBRU Faculty of Medicine, said: We carry them with us.we all need [make] Make it a habit to clean your phone and smartwatch as regularly as you clean your own hands. “
In this recent scientific study, researchers from MBRU and Dubai Police examined the level of microbial contamination of smart devices in emergency medical units.
Samples taken from cellphones and smartwatches, as well as hand samples from healthcare workers, were investigated using next-generation metagenomic sequencing to determine which organisms were contaminating the devices.
Lt. Col. Dr. Rashed Alghafri, Director of the Center for International Forensic Medicine at the Directorate General of Forensic Evidence and Criminology at the Dubai Police, noted: Mobile phones and smart watches. “
Some of the microbes found on wearable technology for healthcare workers are multidrug-resistant pathogens. Of the randomly selected phones tested, one in the unit’s Covid-19 area tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
“The presence of these microorganisms poses a risk of transmitting pathogens to patients and the community. Infection control protocols, such as mobile phone hygiene, can reduce this risk,” added Lt. Col. Dr. Alghafri.
Dr Lotti Tajouri, Associate Professor of Molecular Genetics at Bond University and member of the Dubai Police Scientific Council, said,
“Our findings are also important for global public health, as organisms on the surfaces of phones and smartwatches can be carried across borders by travelers.”
According to Dr. Tajouri, hygiene protocols, such as UV-C disinfection equipment in public places and airports, should be studied to reduce the risk of microbial contamination and transmission on smart devices.
Also read:
[ad_2]
Source link