Mobile phones could have more germs than toilet seats, Dubai study shows

A study conducted by the University of Arizona in Dubai shows the average mobile phone contains 25,127 germs per square inch, compared to toilet seats with an average of 49 germs per square inch.

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DUBAI // Your mobile phone is rarely out of your hands and you use it dozens of times a day, but it could harbour potentially dangerous levels of bacteria, according to health experts.

Tests carried out on 100 phones belonging to students from Middlesex University in Dubai at the Annual Students’ Health Day revealed that over a quarter were in the high risk category, with 24 per cent were in the cautionary category. The remaining 49 per cent of the phones had safe readings.

The higher the reading, the greater the risk of the presence of microorganisms such as the influenza virus, salmonella bacteria and adenovirus.

“Mobile phones have become essentials in our daily lives and so they are constantly exposed to contamination, especially if they are not kept clean,” said Dr Muhammad Halwani, a member of the Arab Hygiene Council and an infection control consultant.

“They can be a serious disease spreading vehicle that transfers contamination from place to place, in addition to cross contaminating food and other consumables. In fact certain bacteria found on mobile phones can even lead to diseases,” he warned.

Students were urged to make sure they keep their gadgets clean to stop the spread of harmful bacteria.

“I clean my mobile phone every once in a while with a tissue but I was not actually aware of the germs it may contain,” said Wissam Al Halabi, 19.

“Now after getting my mobile phone tested and seeing the result, I am quite surprised and will definitely be more conscientious about cleaning my phone more regularly.”

Dettol, which carried out the Dubai tests using an adenosine triphosphate luminometre, a device that tests surfaces for contamination, said that a study conducted by the University of Arizona showed that the average mobile phone contains 25,127 germs per square inch, compared to desktops which contained around 20,961 germs per square inch or even toilet seats with 49 germs per square inch.

ksinclair@thenational.ae