People are only just realising how dangerous it can be to use your phone on the toilet
MANY of us carry our phones with us wherever we go – to bed and maybe even to the bathroom.
And because of this, our mobiles present many hidden health risks that not many people know about, say experts.
According to a YouGov poll the majority of Brits (57 per cent) whip out their phones while doing a number one or two.
It’s perhaps not surprising, therefore, that some studies have found our mobiles to be dirtier than toilet seats.
On top of this, we touch our phones while eating, let children play on them and put them down on all sorts of dirty surfaces.
All of these can transfer microbes onto your phone along with food deposits for those microbes to eat.
DANGEROUS BUGS
Hands pick up bacteria and viruses all the time and are recognised as a route for acquiring infection.
But so too are out phones.
Writing in the Conversation, Dr Primrose Freestone, microbiologist from the University of Leicester, explains which bugs are most likely to be on your phone right now.
E. coli
Escherichia coli (commonly abbreviated to E. coli) is a type of bacteria found in human poop.
While most types of E.coli are harmless some can cause serious infection.
According to the NHS, E.coli bacteria is a common cause of cystitis – an infection of the bladder.
Some types of E.coli can cause gastrointestinal infections.
Staphylococcus
Staph infections are caused by bacteria called staphylococcus.
The bacteria live harmlessly on many people’s skin, often in the nose and armpits and on the buttocks.
They usually only cause an infection if they get into the skin – for example, through a bite or cut.
The infection most often affect the skin leading to sores or blistering, the NHS website explains.
They can go away on their own, but sometimes they need to be treated with antibiotics.
Actinobacteria
Actinobacteria is a rare – but serious – type of bacterial infection.
Over time, it can result in linked abscesses, pain, and inflammation.
According to the National Institute of Health, it can affect the skin or deeper areas within the body and sometimes the blood.
The bacteria that cause actinomycosis normally live harmlessly in the body.
They only cause an infection if they get into the lining of areas such as the mouth or gut.
Citrobacter
Citrobacter species are commonly found in water, soil, food, and the intestinal tracts of animals and humans.
It can cause nasty urinary tract infections (UTI).
And in babies, can lead to infection of the brain, known as meningitis.
Enterococcus
Enterococcus are found in human intestines and in the genitals.
If ingested, it can cause UTIs and sometimes endocarditis, a rare and potentially fatal infection of the inner lining of the heart.
Klebsiella
Klebsiella is a bacteria which can be found everywhere in nature.
To get a Klebsiella infection, you’ve got to be exposed to the bacteria by breathing it in. It severe cases, the bug can cause pneumonia.
While it’s dangerous if it gets into other parts of your body, it can be fatal if you’re already ill.
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas is a germ found in moist environments like baths and sinks.
Horrifyingly, it’s also found in cockroach poo.
It rarely makes people very ill, unless it reaches the blood stream in which case it can lead to septicemia, a serious infection can cause symptoms of high fever, chills, confusion, and shock.
Group A Streptococcus
Group A Streptococcus, also known as Group A Strep or Strep A, are bacteria that can cause many different infections.
They are commonly found in the throat and on the skin, and some people have no symptoms, the NHS says.
Infections caused by Strep A range from minor illnesses to serious and deadly diseases.
They include the skin infection impetigo, scarlet fever and strep throat.
Research has found that many pathogens on phones are often antibiotic resistant, meaning they can’t be treated with conventional drugs.
“This is worrying as these bacteria can cause skin, gut and respiratory infections that can be life-threatening,” Dr Primrose explained.
CLEAN YOUR PHONE
So it’s clear that you need to start cleaning your phone regularly.
Dr Primrose suggested using alcohol-based wipes or sprays.
“They need to contain at least 70% alcohol to disinfect phone casings and touch screens, and it needs to be done every day if possible,” she said.
It’s also worth getting into the habit of putting your phone away when not in use, then sanitising or washing your hands.
You might also want to occasionally sanitise your phone charger when you are cleaning your phone, she added.
Previous research has also shown that smartphones can contain up to seven times more bacteria than a toilet seat.
Those clad in leather cases harboured the most bacteria and even phones in easier-to-clean plastic cases have more than six times the germs found on loo seats