Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE
Madhulika Manoha an1*, Aa adhya Manoha an2
1. 10 h g ade s uden a GEMS Ou Own English High School, Al Wa qa, Dubai.
2. 5 h g ade s uden a GEMS Ou Own English High School, Al Wa qa, Dubai.
*Co espondence o: Madhulika Manoha an, 10 h g ade s uden a GEMS Ou Own English High School,
Al Wa qa, Dubai.
Copy igh .
© 2025 Madhulika Manoha an This is an open access a icle dis ibu ed unde he C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion License, which pe mi s un es ic ed use, dis ibu ion, and ep oduc ion in any medium, p o ided
he o iginal wo k is p ope ly ci ed.
Recei ed: 13 Oc 2025
Published: 14 Oc 2025
MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10
Resea ch A icle
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
Page 2 o 10
Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
1. In oduc ion
Cell phones a e essen ial in all aspec s o daily li e. They ha e especially played a c i ical ole in enhancing
se ices in he heal hca e indus y, making i easie o heal hca e wo ke s o communica e and go abou hei
ou ine much mo e com o ably. Mo eo e , hese imp o ed acili ies bo n as a esul o he in oduc ion o
mobile phones in he a o emen ioned sec o ha e esul ed in he de elopmen o he heal hca e sys em and he
mo e e icien adminis a ion o ea men o pa ien s. Howe e , due o in equen sani iza ion o cell phone
su aces and lack o su eillance o s a sani a y measu es in hospi als and clinics alike, mobile phones ha e
become ge m ese oi s and ha e been ound o se e as silen ca ie s o heal hca e-associa ed diseases,
Abs ac
Objec i e: To assess he p e alence, mic obial p o ile o o ganisms isola ed om mobile phones
used by heal h ca e pe sonnel in Dubai, UAE.
Me hodology: A o al o 230 mobile phones om heal hca e p o ide s in a ious clinical se ings
we e swabbed and cul u ed using s anda d mic obiological echniques. The pa hogens we e
iden i ied and classi ied in o G am-posi i e cocci (GPC), G am-nega i e bacilli (GNB), and o he s.
Resis ance sc eening was pe o med o S aphylococcus au eus isola es o de ec me hicillin
esis ance.
Resul s: Mic obial g ow h was obse ed in 114 o he 230 samples (49.6% o he o al samples).
Among hese, 98 samples (85.9%) we e G am Posi i e Cocci and 14 samples (12.3%) we e G an
Nega i e Bac e iae. G am Posi i e Isola es included 83 Mic ococcus species. and 15
S aphylococcus au eus samples, o which 1 was an MRSA sample. GNB isola es comp ised o 10
Klebsiella species. and 4 E. coli, wi h no esis ance de ec ed. One ungal spo e and one Bacillus
spo e we e also iden i ied.
Conclusion: Mobile phones in clinical se ings ha bo signi ican mic obial con amina ion,which
poses a signi ican h ea o he pa ien s hey ea . Al hough esis ance was low, he p esence o
MRSA and spo e- o ming o ganisms unde sco es he need o ou ine disin ec ion p o ocols and
awa eness among heal hca e pe sonnel.
Keywo ds: Mobile phones, mic obial con amina ion, MRSA, G am-posi i e cocci, G am-nega i e
bacilli, Dubai.
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
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Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
pu ing he heal hca e wo ke and hei iends and amily a isk. Acco ding o s a is ics ega ding his
conce n, a ound 80,000 o 180,000 in ec ions could be a oided annually (Gas meie e al.,2010), specially ia
su icien hand cleanliness and inc eased in ensi y o cellula phones cleaning (Tannhäuse e al.,2022).
The pa hogenic composi ion and p e alence in he cell phones o a ious classes di e depending on a a ie y
o ex e nal ac o s. Fo ins ance, in high-income coun ies, 75–96% o heal hca e wo ke s’ mobile phones
we e ound o be in ec ed, wi h Coagulase-nega i e s aphylococci (CoNS) and Mic ococcus being he mos
common s ains. In low- and middle-income coun ies’ heal hca e se ings, he bac e ial p e alence anged
om 42% o 100%., wi h he mos p e alen bac e ia being coagulase-nega i e s aphylococci, E.coli,
Acine obac e species, Pseudomonas species, and MRSA bac e ia.
The global bu den o heal hca e-associa ed in ec ions (HAIs) is inc easing, esul ing in inc eased pa ien
mo ali y and cos s o main enance and ea men . Con amina ion o he mobile phones used by heal hca e
wo ke s has esul ed in he disco e y o he p e alence o d ug- esis an o ganisms such as MRSA and
ancomycin- esis an en e ococci (VRE) on hei su aces, which could be a al o he pa ien s ha heal hca e
wo ke s a e diagnosing and ea ing. This s udy aims o assess and in es iga e mic obial ca iage on mobile
phones used by labo a o y s a in Dubai, UAE, wi h emphasis on p e alence, o ganism dis ibu ion, and
esis ance p o ile.
2. Ma e ials and Me hods
2.1 S udy Design
A c oss-sec ional s udy was conduc ed a QLABS Clinical Labo a o y, Ka ama, Dubai. A o al o 230 mobile
phones we e sampled o e a 2-mon h pe iod om a ious labo a o ies, clinics and o he heal hca e se ings.
2.2 S udy Pe iod
This s udy was conduc ed om July 11 h o Sep embe 11 h 2025.
2.3 Sample Collec ion
Sample Collec ion and Mic obiological Analysis
Mobile phone su aces we e swabbed using saline-mois ened s e ile swab s icks, ollowing s ic asep ic
p o ocols. Pa icula a en ion was gi en o he keypad and ea su aces. Swabs we e inocula ed on o blood
aga (BA) pla es, MACConkey medium, Sabou aud dex ose aga and incuba ed ae obically a 37°C o 24–
48 hou s.
Iden i ica ion o Bac e ial Isola es
Bac e ial colonies we e iden i ied using s anda d mic obiological echniques, including G am s aining,
selec i e media cul u e, biochemical p o iling (TSI, Ci a e, Indole, MR, VP, U ease, Coagulase, Ca alase and
Oxidase) and con i med h ough API and bioMé ieux so wa e and la ex agglu ina ion.
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
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Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
An ibiog am P o iling
An ibio ic suscep ibili y was assessed using he Ki by-Baue disk di usion me hod. Tes o ganisms (adjus ed
o 0.5 McFa land s anda d) we e inocula ed on o Muelle -Hin on aga (MHA) pla es. An ibio ic discs —
(G am posi i e: Penicillin, Oxacillin, Ce oxi in, Cip o loxacin and E y h omycin) G am Nega i e
(Ampicillin, 1s 2nd and 3 d gene a ion Cephalospo in, Ca bapenem, Be a lac am lac amase inhibi o )—we e
applied using s e ile o ceps. Pla es we e incuba ed a 37°C o 24 hou s unde ae obic condi ions.
2.4 Iden i ica ion and Classi ica ion
Isola es we e iden i ied using G am s aining and s anda d biochemical es s. ATCC s ains, speci ically ATCC
s aph au eus 25923 and ATCC E.coli 25922 we e used o quali y con ol. O ganisms we e classi ied as GPC
(G am Posi i e Bac e ia), GNB (G am Nega i e Bac e ia), ungal spo es, o Bacillus spp.
2.5 Resis ance Sc eening
S aphylococcus au eus isola es we e sc eened o me hicillin esis ance using ce oxi in disc di usion. G am
nega i e o ganisms we e sc eened o ESBL and o he esis ance pa e n.
3. Resul s
3.1 O e iew
A o al o 230 samples we e assessed o bac e ial g ow h, ou o which 114 (49.6%) isola es showed g ow h
o GPCs and GNB’s alike. Ou o he 114 samples, 98 (85.9%) we e G am Posi i e Bac e ial Isola es, 14
(12.3%) we e G am Nega i e Bac e ial Isola es, and he emaining wo samples consis ed o 1 ungal spo e
(0.9%) and 1 bacillus isola e (0.9%). Fo he GPC isola e dis ibu ion, 83 (84.7%) o he 98 samples we e
Mic ococci isola es, 15 (15.3%) we e S aphylococcus isola es, and wi hin hose 15 samples, 1 (6.7% o S.
au eus isola es) was iden i ied as an MRSA isola e. Con inuing wi h he GNB dis ibu ion, 10 ou o he 14
samples we e Klebsiella Species (71.4%) and he emaining 4 we e E. coli isola es.
3.2 Dis ibu ion o Isola es
G oup
Coun
% o Posi i es
G am-posi i e cocci (GPC)
98
85.9%
G am-nega i e bacilli (GNB)
14
12.3%
Fungal spo e
1
0.9%
Bacillus spo e
1
0.9%
Table 1: Dis ibu ion o Isola es
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
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Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
3.3 B eakdown o GPC
G oup
Coun
% o Posi i es
Mic ococcus spp.
83
84.7%
S aphylococcus au eus
15
15.3%
MRSA
1 om S. au eus
6.7% o S. au eus isola es
Table 2: B eakdown o GPC
3.4 B eakdown o GNB
G oup
Coun
% o Posi i es
Klebsiella spp
10
71.4%
E. coli
4
28.6%
Table 3: B eakdown o GNB
Figu e 1: B ie Cul u e G ow h Dis ibu ion Cha
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
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Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
Figu e 2: Dis ibu ion o Mic obial Isola es
Figu e 3: De ailed Dis ibu ion o Isola es
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
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Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
Figu e 4: Dis ibu ion o G am-Posi i e Bac e ial Isola es
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
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Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
Figu e 5: Dis ibu ion o G am-Nega i e Bac e ial
Figu e 6: Sample Collec ion and P ocessing Resul s
Madhulika Manoha an, MAR Oncology and Hema ology (2025) 5:10.
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Madhulika Manoha an. (2025). Mic obial Con amina ion and Resis ance P o ile o Bac e ia Isola ed om
Mobile Phones in a Heal h Ca e Se ing in Dubai, UAE. MAR Oncology and Hema ology. (2025) 5:10
4. Discussion
The con amina ion a e o 49.6% aligns wi h global s udies epo ing 40–70% p e alence on mobile phones
in heal hca e se ings. GPCs, pa icula ly Mic ococcus spp., domina ed he isola es, u he highligh ing he
signi icance o skin lo a ans e in hospi al en i onmen s. The de ec ion o MRSA, hough low, is clinically
signi ican due o i s ole in hospi al-acqui ed in ec ions. Absence o esis ance in GNB isola es may e lec
e ec i e an imic obial s ewa dship o limi ed exposu e o esis an s ains in his coho . Howe e , he
p esence o ungal and bacillus spo es is conce ning and despi e s ic adhe ence o sani a ion measu es in
heal hca e se ings, p o es ha pa hogenic con amina ion canno be comple ely a oided. HCWs need o ake
mo e cau ion in his aspec o a oid such dange ous ci cums ances.
Compa a i e s udies om India and he UAE ha e shown simila ends, wi h CoNS and S. au eus being he
mos equen ly isola ed o ganisms. The low esis ance p o ile in his s udy con as s wi h indings om
e ia y ca e cen es whe e mul id ug- esis an s ains a e mo e p e alen . This may e lec di e ences in
pa ien load, disin ec ion p ac ices, and en i onmen al con ols. Howe e , he p esence o low esis ance
bac e ia doesn’ comple ely elimina e he dange s associa ed wi h his ype o con amina ion. I he same
unsani a y measu es con inue in heal hca e se ings, he p e alence and in ensi y o pa hogens and hei impac
on pa ien s and heal hca e wo ke s in he nea u u e will ce ainly ise o a conce ning ex en .
5. Conclusion
The p esen s udy demons a es ha mobile phones used by heal hca e pe sonnel (HCPs) can se e as
ese oi s o Sp ead o in ec ion.
Al hough he majo i y o isola es iden i ied we e oppo unis ic in na u e, hei po en ial o cause nosocomial
in ec ions in ulne able pa ien popula ions unde sco es he impo ance o ou ine de ice hygiene. Based on
ou indings, we ecommend ha HCPs adop egula disin ec ion p ac ices, such as cleaning mobile phones
wi h 70% isop opyl alcohol. Such measu es a e simple ye e ec i e in educing he isk o heal hca e-
associa ed in ec ions (HAIs), especially du ing he p esence o mu an s ains, when s ingen in ec ion con ol
p o ocols a e impe a i e.
Mobile phones used in clinical labo a o ies a e equen ly con amina ed wi h bac e ia, p ima ily G am-posi i e
o ganisms. While an ibio ic esis ance was minimal, he de ec ion o MRSA and spo es wa an s egula
disin ec ion and s a educa ion. Implemen a ion o phone hygiene p o ocols may educe he isk o c oss-
con amina ion and nosocomial ansmission.
