Mobile phone contamination among hospital staff: Focus on MRSA and ESBL-producing bacteria

Mobile phones are indispensable tools in hospital practice but may act as sources for healthcare-associated pathogens. Despite global concern, no prior study in Lebanon had assessed the presence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) on healthcare workers' phones.

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a tertiary university hospital, enrolling 166 participants (125 medical staff and 41 administrative controls). Sterile swabs were collected from all phone surfaces, followed by microbiological analysis for meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Participants also completed a behavioral questionnaire assessing hygiene practices.

The study detected universal contamination of mobile phones (100%). Two MDROs were isolated: one MRSA and one ESBL-producing Enterobacter cloacae, representing an overall prevalence of 1.2% (1.6% among medical staff). Risk behaviors were widespread: 85.6% of clinicians reported using phones in patients' presence, 34.4% interrupted clinical exams to answer calls, and only 9.6% disinfected hands afterward. Moreover, 60.8% had never disinfected their devices. The mean behavioral risk score was 5.16, significantly higher among interns (5.34) and residents (5.65) compared with administrative staff (4.39) (ANOVA, p = .01), suggesting lower risk with increasing clinical seniority.

Our findings confirm universal contamination of mobile phones among hospital staff, with detection of MRSA and ESBL-producing bacteria among young pediatric clinicians. Although MDRO prevalence was low, high-risk behaviors were frequent, underscoring the need to reinforce basic infection prevention measures through targeted staff education. Hand hygiene continues to be the most effective strategy to limit pathogen transmission. Regular mobile phone disinfection remains a complementary measure.