Study of Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phones and Stethoscopes in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background mobile phones and stethoscopes used in neonatology units could be colonized by potential bacteria pathogens. it can be a vector of severe nosocomial infections and multi-drug-resistant pathogens. the aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial contamination of mobile phones and stethoscopes, used by medical and paramedical staff. materials and methods the study was conducted in neonatal intensive care unit (nicu) of mohamed vi university hospital, marrakech (morocco) in april 2016. the bacteriological study was made on 17 mobile phones and 13 stethoscopes. samples were taken from all surfaces of mobile phones and stethoscopes, with a sterile swab. these swabs were inoculated onto sheep blood agar plates and incubated for 3 days at 37°c. results: bacterial contamination rate of all mobile phones and stethoscopes was 100%. the cultures of bacteria isolated were polymorphic. of the 17 mobile phones, 6 were contaminated with multidrug-resistant pathogens, with a contamination percentage of 35%. the isolated germs correspond to 4 (66.6%) klebsiella pneumoniae and 2(33.3%) escherichia coli both were expanded-spectrum betalactamase (esbl). a strain of klebsiella pneumoniae esbl (7.7%) was found on a stethoscope. conclusion this study showed that mobile phones and stethoscopes could be involved in the transmission of severe nosocomial infections, with multidrug-resistance.