Bacterial burden and drug-resistant bacteria in healthcare workers' mobile phones: a study in Puerto Rican outpatient clinics.

Background: Mobile phones used by healthcare workers (HCWs) in hospitals are significant reservoirs of drug-resistant bacteria responsible for hospital-acquired infections (HAIs).

Aim: The objective of this study was to assess the level of contamination with such bacteria in outpatient clinics.

Methods: Swabs from 83 HCWs' mobile phones were processed using standard biochemical and enzymatic procedures to identify pathogenic bacteria.