Extended spectrum betalactamase and carbapenemase producing gram negative bacteria from mobile phones of healthcare workers at Debre Berhan Hospital, Ethiopia

Frequent use of mobile phones in clinical settings puts patients at risk for nosocomial infections. These phones may contain potentially hazardous bacteria, especially those that produce carbapenemase and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) gram-negative bacteria that become a great threat to healthcare settings. The purpose of the study was to determine the magnitude of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase and carbapenemase-producing gram-negative and associated factors from mobile phones of healthcare workers in Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August to October 2022. A total of 226 swab samples were collected from mobile phones and inoculated on MacConkey agar. Standard biochemical tests were employed to perform bacterial identifications. Screening for ESBL and carbapenemase production was done using ESBL and CRE CHROME agar. The modified carbapenem inactivation method and combination disk approach were used to confirm the production of carbapenemase and ESBL, respectively. Version 25 of SPSS was used to analyze the data. The overall contamination rate of mobile phones was 42.0% (95/226). A total of 105/226 (45.46%) gram-negative bacteria were isolated. E.coli had the highest number of isolated bacteria with 32.44% (34/105) followed by K. pneumoniae 22.9% (24/105). The percentage of gram-negative bacteria that produced carbapenemase and ESBL was 11.4% (12/105) and 17.1% (18/105), respectively. The highest ESBL-producing gram-negative bacteria were E.coli 10.5% (11/105) and K. pneumoniae 2.9%(3/105). P. aeruginosa 3.8% (4/105) and E.coli 2.8% (3/105) was the predominant carbapenemase producers. The overall MDR was 39%. Gender (AOR= (1.19-4.22), phone type (AOR = (1.92-10.0), regular phone disinfection (AOR= (1.66-6.59), phone handling practice (AOR= (1.72-6.22), were significantly associated with bacterial contamination of mobile phones. The prevalence of ESBL- and carbapenemase-producing gram-negative bacteria was high among healthcare worker's mobile phones in the study area. Therefore, strict infection control measures, good hygienic practices, and regular disinfection of cell phones are needed to limit infections, cross-contamination, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance in hospital environments.