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Cultivable Microbial Diversity Associated With Cellular Phones
Rashmi Kurli1, Diptaraj Chaudhari1, Aabeejjeet N Pansare1
1National Centre for Microbial Resource, National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India.
Frontiers in Microbiology
|June 23, 2018
Summary
Cellular phones harbor diverse bacteria and fungi, including common skin microbes. Poor hygiene practices correlate with higher levels of objectionable microorganisms on devices, highlighting the need for better sanitation.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Cellular phones are ubiquitous globally, regardless of demographics.
- Understanding the microbial communities on these devices is crucial for public health.
- Previous studies have explored device-associated microbes, but comprehensive analysis is ongoing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diversity of microorganisms on cellular phones.
- To identify bacterial and fungal species commonly found on these devices.
- To assess the impact of hygiene practices on microbial contamination.
Main Methods:
- Cultivation-based methods were used to isolate microorganisms from 27 cellular phones.
- Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry was employed for protein profiling and identification.
- 16S rRNA gene and ITS region sequencing were used for species-level identification of selected isolates.
Main Results:
- A total of 554 microbial isolates were obtained, with 415 identified to the species level.
- Common bacteria included *Staphylococcus*, *Bacillus*, *Micrococcus*, and *Pseudomonas*.
- Fungal genera identified were *Candida*, *Aspergillus*, *Aureobasidium*, and *Cryptococcus*.
- Many identified species are commensals of human skin.
- Poor hygiene correlated with the presence of objectionable microorganisms.
Conclusions:
- Cellular phones host a diverse range of microorganisms, including human commensals.
- MALDI-TOF MS is an effective tool for microbial identification and de-replication.
- Hygiene practices significantly influence the microbial load on cellular phones.
- Improving MALDI-TOF MS database and sample processing can enhance its utility.
Keywords:
MALDI-TOF mass spectrometryde-replicationhigh-throughput identificationsmicrobial contaminationmobile phonesobjectionable microorganismsMore Related Videos
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