Distribution of Staphylococcus aureus in food, hands, and mobile phones among food handlers in university cafeterias
Keywords:
Mobile phones, Food handlers, Staphylococcus aureusAbstract
This study aimed to examine the use of mobile phones and the distribution of Staphylococcus aureus in food, hands, and mobile phones of food handlers. Food samples, hand swabs, and mobile phone swabs were collected from food handlers in 51 university cafeterias. S. aureus was isolated using standard culture methods and confirmed by PCR. Additionally, interviews were conducted to assess mobile phone usage habits and personal hygiene practices of the food handlers.
Among the 153 samples collected, 34 isolates of S. aureus (22.2%) were detected, including 7 from food, 16 from hands, and 11 from mobile phones. Contamination was highest in ready-to-eat restaurants (90.5%), followed by fast-food restaurants (56.3%) and other types of restaurants (42.9%). S. aureus was simultaneously detected in samples from the same restaurant in three patterns: hand and mobile phone, hand and food, and mobile phone and food. Most food handlers used touchscreen or smartphone devices (98.0%), placed their mobile phones on food preparation tables (32.0%), regularly cleaned their phones (90.2%), washed hands before handling food (96.1%), and wore gloves every time they handled food (78.4%). This study demonstrates the presence and distribution of S. aureus in food, hands, and mobile phones of food handlers, highlighting the risk of pathogen transmission. These findings can be used as a basis for developing guidelines and surveillance strategies to prevent the spread of foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, it is recommended to conduct molecular genetic analysis to confirm the relationships and identify the sources of contamination, thereby enhancing foodborne disease surveillance.
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