Bacterial contamination of healthcare workers' mobile phones in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mobile phones are potential reservoirs for pathogens and sources of healthcare-associated infections. More microbes can be found on a mobile phone than on a man's lavatory seat, the sole of a shoe, or a door handle. When examining patients, frequent handling of mobile phones can spread bacteria. Nevertheless, evidence of bacterial contamination of mobile phones used by healthcare workers in Africa was inconclusive. Thus, this meta-analysis and systematic review was conducted to estimate the pooled prevalence of bacterial contamination of mobile phones used by healthcare workers and the most frequent bacterial isolates in Africa.

Methods

We systematically retrieved relevant studies using PubMed/MEDLINE, POPLINE, HINARI, Science Direct, Cochrane Library databases, a

SUBMITTER: Zenbaba D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10552405 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature