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Contamination of healthcare worker's mobile phones by epidemic viruses.
Pillet S1, Berthelot P2, Gagneux-Brunon A3, Mory O4, Gay C5, Viallon A6, Lucht F3, Pozzetto B1, Botelho-Nevers E7.
Author information
Abstract
Mobile phones (MPs) have been proved to be potential reservoirs of nosocomial bacteria. Few data are available concerning viruses. We aimed to evaluate the presence of viral RNA from epidemic viruses including metapneumovirus (hMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza viruses, rotavirus (RV) and norovirus (NV) on the MPs used by healthcare workers (HCWs) and to rely it with hygiene measures. An anonymous behavioral questionnaire about MP use at hospital was proposed to the HCWs of 4 adult and pediatric departments of a University hospital. After sampling of personal (PMP) and/or professional MPs (digital enhanced cordless telephone, DECT), viral RNAs were extracted and amplified by one step reverse transcription/real time PCR assays (RT-qPCR). The molecular results were analyzed blindly to the behavioral survey. Questionnaires of 114 HCWs (35 senior physicians, 30 residents, 32 nurses, 27 nurses assistant) working either in adults (n=58) or pediatric (n=56) departments were recorded. Medical personnel used their PMP more frequently than paramedical HCWs (33/65 vs 10/59, P<0.001). MPs were used during care more frequently in adult wards than in pediatric ones (46/58 vs 27/56, P<0.001). Viral RNA was detected on 42 phones of the 109 collected ones (38.5%), with RV=39, RSV=3, hMPV=1. The presence of viral RNA was significantly associated with MPs from the pediatric HCWs (P<0.001). MPs routinely used in hospital, even during care, can host viral RNA, especially RV. Promotion of frequent hand hygiene before and after MP use associated to frequent cleaning of the MPs should be encouraged.
Copyright ? 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
KEYWORDS:
epidemic viruses; healthcare workers; hospital-acquired infections; mobile phones
PMID: 26713553 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Pillet S1, Berthelot P2, Gagneux-Brunon A3, Mory O4, Gay C5, Viallon A6, Lucht F3, Pozzetto B1, Botelho-Nevers E7.
Author information
Abstract
Mobile phones (MPs) have been proved to be potential reservoirs of nosocomial bacteria. Few data are available concerning viruses. We aimed to evaluate the presence of viral RNA from epidemic viruses including metapneumovirus (hMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza viruses, rotavirus (RV) and norovirus (NV) on the MPs used by healthcare workers (HCWs) and to rely it with hygiene measures. An anonymous behavioral questionnaire about MP use at hospital was proposed to the HCWs of 4 adult and pediatric departments of a University hospital. After sampling of personal (PMP) and/or professional MPs (digital enhanced cordless telephone, DECT), viral RNAs were extracted and amplified by one step reverse transcription/real time PCR assays (RT-qPCR). The molecular results were analyzed blindly to the behavioral survey. Questionnaires of 114 HCWs (35 senior physicians, 30 residents, 32 nurses, 27 nurses assistant) working either in adults (n=58) or pediatric (n=56) departments were recorded. Medical personnel used their PMP more frequently than paramedical HCWs (33/65 vs 10/59, P<0.001). MPs were used during care more frequently in adult wards than in pediatric ones (46/58 vs 27/56, P<0.001). Viral RNA was detected on 42 phones of the 109 collected ones (38.5%), with RV=39, RSV=3, hMPV=1. The presence of viral RNA was significantly associated with MPs from the pediatric HCWs (P<0.001). MPs routinely used in hospital, even during care, can host viral RNA, especially RV. Promotion of frequent hand hygiene before and after MP use associated to frequent cleaning of the MPs should be encouraged.
Copyright ? 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
KEYWORDS:
epidemic viruses; healthcare workers; hospital-acquired infections; mobile phones
PMID: 26713553 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]