Research Project: Microbial Contamination in Lab Touch Screen Devices

This research project investigates the microbial contamination of touch screen devices in laboratory environments. The project's rationale highlights the relevance of touch screen devices in modern labs, their potential for microbial contamination, and the associated health hazards. A literature re...Read More

RESEARCH PROJECT SELECTION FORM
Name: ____________________________________
Student Number: ____________________________________
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 Project Title: Microbial contamination of touch screen devices (lab
based)
Project Supervisor: ____________________________________
Have you confirmed the project title with the supervisor? Y
Laboratory based
Rationale of the project: (Max 500 words)
Relevance
The project topic is relevant in that technology has modernized laboratory
techniques and has led to adoption of touch screen devices. Touch screen
devices have been extensively been used as the modern form of technology,
there ease of use and accessibility are making it part and parcel of human life
The usability of the touch screen devices in labs are linked to microbial
contamination.. With the benefits linked to benefits of touch screens in lab
simulations, results process analysis in labs and personal use, health hazards
have been posed from this usage. In medical laboratory, touch screens are
constantly being used for practical process, data recording and analysis.
During laboratory sessions, touch screen devices are often touched and
find themselves in cross contact with contaminated cultures thus getting
contaminated with various microorganisms which have been found to be
pathogenic and harmful to humans beings and even causing drug resistance
effect. Methycline drug resistance has been found on Styphylococcus aureus and
Enterococci, which is resistant to Vancomycin, (Gerba et l, 2016).
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Drug resistance is detrimental to human health as it leads to disease
resistance, which renders medication non effective thus creating resistant
microorganism. The micro-organism could be fatal to human health and lead to
death. Thus this portrays touch devices as possible reservoirs of micro
organisms which could have potential significance among users.
Literature Review
Studies done on microbial contamination have shown that there are
prevalence group of microbes which are present in lab compared to others. In a
study conducted among laboratory practitioners in Pharos University Egypt,
found out that most prevalent isolates of bacterial were staphylococci, (33%) and
Styphyloccoci (24%)being present in mobile based devices, (Hadir, 2017).
Further in a study done by Jaya et al, (2015) on bacterial contamination on
mobile phones and computer devices found out that in samples of mobiles
phones, screens, keypads and mice devices, touch pads were significantly
contaminated with Gram positive bacteria.
A comparative study assessing risks associated with microbial
contamination of keypads and touch screen phones, showed that the microbial
colony of touch screens and key pads was 0.09 (colony forming units) cfu/cm2
and 0.77 cfu/cm2. This showed that colony counts were higher in key pad devices
at F statistic at p<0.001. Key pad devices were heavily contaminated with
microbes, (Pal et al, 2013).
In a study done among Italian University students, rated emissions of
smart phones on tolerability of microbial survival and exposed at different time
intervals, showed a reduction of 79% in bacterial growth in staphylococcus and
46% in staphylococcus epidermidis, thus showing that emissions are effective in
reducing microbial growth, (Lodovico et al, 2018).Thus this studies show
extensive research on microbial load and virulence in laboratory environments.
Research gaps established
Findings from the studies undertaken show that, none have focussed on
the level of knowledge and awareness of microbial contamination of touch
screens in laboratory environments. The users of the touch screen devices play a
crucial role in the continuum process of microbial contaminations in laboratory.
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Studies done by Hadir, (2017), Jaya et al, (2015), Pal et al, ( 2013, Lodovico et al,
( 2018), have focussed on microbial contamination but have not focussed on
level of knowledge awareness of the laboratory practitioners on microbial
contamination of touch devices.
Aim of the project:
To assess the level of knowledge awareness of Laboratory practitioners on
microbial contamination of touch devices in Lab environment
Null Hypothesis:
Laboratory practitioners are aware of microbial contamination on touch screen
devices in laboratory environments.
References
Di Lodovico, S., Del Vecchio, A., Cataldi, V., Di Campli, E., Di Bartolomeo, S.,
Cellini, L. and Di Giulio, M., 2018. Microbial Contamination of Smartphone
Touchscreens of Italian University Students. Current microbiology, 75(3), pp.336-
342.
Hadir EK. Microbial Contamination of Mobile Phones in the Medical Laboratory
Technology Department of a Private University in Alexandria, Egypt. Int. J. Curr.
Microbiol. App. Sci. 2017;6(6):200-11.
Gerba, C.P., Wuollet, A.L., Raisanen, P. and Lopez, G.U., 2016. Bacterial
contamination of computer touch screens. American journal of infection control,
44(3), pp.358-360.
Jaya Madhuri, R., Saraswathi, M., Mahitha, G., Bhargavi, M., Deepika, S. and
Vijaya Lakshmi, G., 2015. Bacterial contamination of mobile phones and
computers in microbiological laboratories. European J Biotechnol Biosci, 3, pp.51-55.
Pal, P., Roy, A., Moore, G., Muzslay, M., Lee, E., Alder, S., Wilson, P., Powles,
T., Wilson, P. and Kelly, J., 2013. Keypad mobile phones are associated with a
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significant increased risk of microbial contamination compared to touch screen
phones. Journal of Infection Prevention, 14(2), pp.65-68.
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