Abstract :

PURPOSE: In clean surgical procedures, Staphylococcus aureus from the exogenous environment or patients skin flora is the usual cause of infection. Aim was to determine whether theatre shoes and smartphones are colonised with these pathogenic microorganisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample size was of 30 randomly selected health care personnel working in operating theatres. Samples were taken with swab soaked in normal saline from theatre shoes and smartphones. RESULT : For theatre shoes , Coagulase negative staphylococci made up majority of the isolates followed by coliforms , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus ( MRSA ) and methicillin sensitive staphylococcus aureus ( MSSA ) respectively . On the other hand , coagulase negative staphylococci epidermidis was isolated in majority of smart phones followed by MRSA in 05 , MSSA in 04 and Escherichia coli was isolated in rest of the 02 smart phones . CONCLUSION: The use of smart phones within hospital premises must be restricted. The infection control committee of each hospital needs to draw up a plan to handle infection arising out of smart phones and theatre shoes.

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