ABSTRACT
Aim: A comparative study was undertaken to study the microbial contamination of the cell phones used by health care workers and non-health care workers. Objective: To create awareness about the microbial contamination over smartphones to avoid transmission of infections. Materials and Methods: The swabs from the cell phones were collected and cultured in the suitable medium to check for the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms and also the Candida albican species. McConkey•s showed growth in the samples collected from both HCWs and non-HCWs. Results: Further biochemical tests revealed negative results for Escherichia coli. Also Candida species was absent in both the groups. Conclusion: Cell phones carried by dentists in the hospital may serve as a mechanical vector for transmission of organisms to the patients. Hence routine disinfection of mobile phones may be effective in reducing microbial contamination. Keywords: Cell phones, Microorganisms, Streptococcus aureus. How to cite this article: Ramaswamy S, Mhatre TC, Karande GS, Patankar RC. A Comparative Study to Assess the Microbial Contamination of Cell Phones of Tertiary Health Care Workers Versus Non-Health Care Workers. Int J Dis Prev Control 2018;1(1):7-10.