Shit on phones
IF YOU EVER text or play Angry Birds while sitting on the loo, it’s time to stop. A new research in the United Kingdom, done for Global Handwashing Day on Oct. 15, found fecal matter on one in every six phones tested.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Queen Mary, University of London sampled 390 cellphones and hands from 12 cities across Britain. The findings were then taken to a laboratory for bacteria and germ tests.
Researchers found participants were misleading about their cleaning habits. Despite 95 per cent claiming they washed their hands with soap when possible, 92 per cent of phones and 82 per cent of hands had bacteria on them.
“The mobile phone is a lovely area for some of the bacteria … to grow,” said Ron Cutler, LSHTM researcher in an interview with the CBC. “As you speak on your phone too much, it heats up.”
The bacteria found on phones are dangerous due to a high risk of being transferred to other surfaces and the possibility of making the user extremely sick. E. coli bacteria, for example, can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramping, pain, nausea, vomiting, and, in extreme cases, death. It also survives on warm surfaces, such as hands or cellphones, for hours.
“I bet you a lot of people use their phones in the bathroom,” said Kevin Wolf, an avid cellphone user, after he learned of the study’s findings. “That’s really gross. Thanks for putting that in my mind.”
The aim of Global Handwashing Day is to make washing hands with soap an automatic behaviour, preventing bacteria and disease from spreading. Researchers suggest adding a wipe down of surfaces and appliances into the routine as an extra preventive measure.
—Jane Lytvynenko
