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Telephone mouthpiece as a possible source of hospital infection
V Singh1, V Aggarwal, S Bansal
1Department of Medicine, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, India.
Abstract:
A bacterial culture from telephone mouthpiece showed that 47 percent of the instruments carried pathogenic bacteria. Wiping with a disinfectant swab reduced the number of contaminated telephones. But for complete elimination of bacterial contamination changes in design of mouthpiece holes or type of instrument or using a polythene plastic cover over mouthpiece is recommended.
Insights
Telephone mouthpieces frequently harbor pathogenic bacteria, with nearly half of instruments testing positive. While disinfectant wipes reduce contamination, design modifications or protective covers are needed for complete bacterial elimination.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Public Health
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Telephone mouthpieces are frequently used shared devices.
- High rates of pathogenic bacterial contamination on shared instruments pose a public health risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify pathogenic bacterial contamination on telephone mouthpieces.
- To evaluate the efficacy of disinfectant wipes in reducing contamination.
- To recommend design or material changes for complete bacterial elimination.
Main Methods:
- Bacterial cultures were performed on telephone mouthpieces.
- Quantitative analysis of bacterial load was conducted.
- Effectiveness of disinfectant swab cleaning was assessed.
Main Results:
- 47% of telephone mouthpieces harbored pathogenic bacteria.
- Disinfectant swab wiping significantly reduced bacterial contamination.
- Complete elimination of bacteria was not achieved by wiping alone.
Conclusions:
- Telephone mouthpieces are a significant reservoir for pathogenic bacteria.
- Current cleaning methods are insufficient for complete bacterial eradication.
- Modifying mouthpiece design, material, or using protective covers is recommended for hygiene.