Your Cellphone, Bacteria, And You

Cellphones these days are everywhere. It is estimated that over 200 million people in the United States own one and use one on an everyday basis. They are a handy and convienient way for people to get in touch with one another. They have also proven to be convenient for the germs and bacteria that reside on the surface of these cellphones that can in some cases spread disease and even in rare cases kill. Methacillin Resistant Staphylococus Aureus or MSRA is the staph infection that is most commonly found on the surface of cellphones. It is resistant to most anti-biotics and it can kill if it enters the bloodstream.
University of Arizona researchers recently tested 25 cellphones randomly from their student body population. They discovered that 20% of the phones tested came up positive for MSRA. The researchers discovered that the germiest parts of a cellphone were usually the keypad and the mouth piece. The researchers also state that the best way to fight this germy problem is by regularly cleaning your cellphone. While this will not eliminate the problem totally it will help reduce the amount of bacteria on the surface of your phone and thereby reduce the risk.