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Molecular Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Mobile Phones

Aída Hamdan-Partida1, Samuel González-García2, Francisco Javier Martínez-Ruíz1

  • 1Departamento de Atención a la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Mexico City 04960, Mexico.

Microorganisms
|March 26, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Mobile phones (MP) are a potential source for transmitting Staphylococcus aureus strains. This study found that MP contamination often mirrors the strains present in the user's nose and throat, including various MSSA and MRSA types.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Healthcare Epidemiology
  • Infectious Disease Transmission

Background:

  • Mobile phones (MP) are ubiquitous among healthcare personnel, posing a potential risk for pathogen transmission.
  • Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen that can be spread via mobile phone usage.
  • Limited research exists on the specific strains of S. aureus transmitted by MPs and their precise origins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the sources of Staphylococcus aureus contamination on mobile phones.
  • To characterize the genotypic and phenotypic properties of S. aureus strains isolated from mobile phones and healthcare students.
  • To investigate the relationship between S. aureus strains found on mobile phones and those present in the human respiratory tract.

Main Methods:

  • Collection of nasal, pharyngeal, and mobile phone samples from health science students.
  • Genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus strains using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and spa gene typing.
  • Detection of adhesin and toxin genes, and assessment of biofilm formation capacity.

Main Results:

  • Staphylococcus aureus strains found on mobile phones frequently matched strains present in the nasal and/or pharyngeal samples of the phone owners.
  • A diverse range of S. aureus strains were identified, including methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA), and community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA).
  • No single dominant genotype of S. aureus was observed on the mobile phones, indicating varied contamination sources.

Conclusions:

  • Mobile phones serve as a reservoir for Staphylococcus aureus, acquiring strains from the user's own nasal and pharyngeal flora.
  • The contamination of mobile phones with S. aureus is diverse, involving multiple strain types and genotypes.
  • Findings highlight the importance of mobile phone hygiene in healthcare settings to prevent the spread of pathogenic bacteria.
Keywords:
CA-MRSAHA-MRSAPFGEStaphylococcus aureusbiofilm formationgenotypemobile phonesnosepharynxstudents

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