A recent study done in the UK, shows that one in six cellphones were found to be contaminated with faecal matter. Yuck! You heard right, that’s Poo. So if you use a cellphone everyday, you pocket is likely to be contaminated with poo!
Where did the poo come from in the first place? Well, the cellphone users' hands of course!
Experts say the most likely reason why there's poo on so many phones is because people are not washing their hands properly with soap and water after going to the toilet.
Hygiene habits
The findings of the UK-wide study by scientists from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Queen Mary, University of London also reveal a tendency among Britons to lie about their hygiene habits.
Although 95% of people said they washed their hands with soap where possible, 92% of phones and 82% of hands had bacteria on them. So not only are people not washing their hands, or not washing their hands with soap and water, they are also lying about it!
The results of the study show the ignorance of effective personal hygiene. It's very important to take hand hygiene seriously.
Faecal bacteria can survive on hands
Faecal bacteria can survive on hands and surfaces for hours, especially in warmer temperatures away from sunlight. It's also easily transferred by touch to door handles, food and yes, your cellphone or anything else you come into contact with.
From there, the germs can be picked up by other people. Every year, 3.5 million children under the age of five are killed by pneumonia and diarrhoeal diseases – and the simple action of washing hands with soap is one of the most effective ways of preventing these types of illnesses.
So next time you go to the loo, please wash your hands, properly, with soap and water!
Author
Yvette Montalbano
