Isolation And Identification Of Bacteria Associated With Handsets (Cell Phones)

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A mobile or cellular telephone which is also called handset is a long-range portable electronic device for personal telecommunication. The vast majority of mobile phones are hand-held. In less than 20 years, mobile phones have gone from being rare and expensive pieces of equipment used primarily by the business elite, to a common low-cost personal item. In many countries, mobile phones outnumber landline telephones since most adults and many children now own mobile phones.
Because of the achievements and benefits of the mobile phone, it is easy to overlook its hazard to health; this is against the background that many users may have no regard for personal hygiene, and the number of people who may use the same phone. This constant handling of the phone by different users exposes it to an array of microorganisms, and makes it a good carrier for microbes, especially those associated with the skin resulting in the spread of different microorganisms from user to user. Our research has shown that the mobile phone could be a health hazard with tens of thousands of microbes living on each square inch of the phone. Microbiologists say that the combination of constant handling with the heat generated by the phones creates a prime breeding ground for many microorganisms that are normally found on the skin. Staphylococci, particularly S. epidermidis are members of the normal flora of the human skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts (Ekrakene et al, 2017). Nasal carriage of S. aureus occurs in 20-50% of human beings. Staphylococci are also found regularly on clothes, bed linen, and other human environments.[Melnick et al, 2014] Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium found on the skin and in the noses of up to 25% of healthy people and animals can cause illnesses from pimples and boils to pneumonia and meningitis, and is a close relative of methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The main reservoir of S. aureus is the hand from where it is introduced into food during preparation (Hui et al, 2011). The hand serves as a major vehicle of transmission of various microbes including the enteric species (Brande et al, 2011) Proteus mirabilis is one of the most common Gram-negative pathogens encountered in clinical specimens. It can cause a variety of community – or hospital-acquired infections, including thoseof the urinary tract, respiratory tract, wounds and burns, bacteraemia,neonatal meningoencephalitis, empyema and osteomyelitis (Hara et al, 2010). After Escherichia coli, P. mirabilis is the member of the Enterobacteriaceae most often isolated in Nigerian clinical microbiology laboratories (Liu et al, 2012) Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a metabolically versatile γ-Proteobacterium, which inhabits terrestrial, aquatic, animal-, human-, and plant-host-associated environments (Ramos, 2012).
Our study aimed at investigating bacterial contamination of the mobile phone to identify the microbes regularly associated with mobile phones and their pathogenicity. Suggestions for the improvement of handling are proposed.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Micro-organisms are found everywhere most especially in our constantly used hand device such as – handset. It is true that because of the rampant usage and its functions and advantages in our daily lives we forgot to considers the health implication of handset. According to microbiologist (Liu et al, 2012), handset is the major carrier of thousands of bacteria. The bacteria can spread from person to person by direct contact, through contaminated objects (such as buses seat, gym equipment, telephones, door knobs, television remote controls, or elevator buttons), or, less often, by inhalation of infected droplets dispersed by sneezing or coughing.
Carriers are people who have the bacteria but do not have any symptoms caused by the bacteria. Carriers can move the bacteria from their nose to other body parts with their hands, sometimes leading to infection. People who are hospitalized or work in a hospital are more likely to be carriers.
This study was carried out to investigating bacterial contamination of the mobile phone to identify the microbes regularly associated with mobile phones

1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main aim of this study is carried out a bacterial contamination investigation of the mobile phone. The objectives of the study is to
i. To identify the microbes regularly associated with mobile phones
ii. To determine the microbial load of cell phone.
iii. To understand the effect of microorganism in our lives
iv. To take the necessary remedial measures.

1.4 SCOPE AND LIMITATION
This research worked in based on the isolation and identification of bacteria associated with cellphone. This study covers the total bacteria count, isolation and identification of bacteria. However, it is limited to very few samples and bacterial studies only, because of limited resources.

1.5 HYPOTHESIS
HO: Microbial organisms are not observed on cellphone and are not responsible for many infection among students.
Hg = Microorganisms are observed on cellphone and they are responsible for many infection among students

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will be useful to all users of cellphone by creating awareness of the presence of microorganisms in handsets. The outcome of this research will guide users on how to avoid contacting micro-organism mostly in phones.

1.7 APPLICATION OF THE STUDY
This study provides practical guidance which aimed at supporting all health professionals, teachers, pupils, and all users of handsets.

1.8 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In the course of carrying this study, numerous sources were used which most of them are by visiting libraries, consulting journal and news papers and online research which Google was the major source that was used.

1.9 PROJECT ORGANISATION
The work is organized as follows: chapter one discuses the introductory part of the work, chapter two presents the literature review of the study, chapter three describes the methods applied, chapter four discusses the results of the work, chapter five summarizes the research outcomes and the recommendations.