Bacteria from both human and cockroach poo are among the secret germs that lurk on our phones, experts have warned.
E.Coli and Fecal Streptococci were found on 100 percent of smartphone screens in a study of the harmful microbes that plague our devices.
Food poisoning germ, Bacillus cereus, and pneumonia-causing S. aureus were also found on each of the 20 swabs taken from 10 phones.
While none of them had traces of Salmonella, half of them did contain P. aeruginosa which is commonly found in cockroach poo.
Sarah McConomy, COO of SellCell, which ran the study, said: ‘We were interested to find out just how common harmful bacteria is on our mobile phone screens, and what types of bacteria are the most common.
‘The results were truly shocking, with many forms of bacteria originating from human feces, which really highlights a need for people to thoroughly clean and sanitize their cell phones more often.
‘What was perhaps the most disturbing to see was the presence of P. aeruginosa, a bacteria that comes directly from cockroaches and their poop.
‘It’s really unsettling to think about cockroaches crawling over our phones and even using them as a bathroom when we’re not looking!’
The study tested the phone screens of devices owned by six females and four males aged between 22 and 62.
A total of 20 Fecal Streptococci and Enterococci colonies, which form in the stomach and intestines of both humans and animals, were found on the tested screens.
Another 20 colonies of S. aureus were also found in samples, presenting the risk of respiratory infections, skin infections, and even food poisoning.
Taking phones into the bathroom was blamed for some of the germs, with researchers claiming that you can be exposed within just five minutes.
Bacteria become airborne when flushing the toilet, increasing the chance of it falling and landing on your phone.
‘We then carry them with us, on our phone screens, out of the toilet and into the rest of our homes, where they could even be responsible for spreading diseases,’ SellCell said.
While many variants are entirely harmless, the more dangerous types live in fresh fecal matter and can cause diarrhea, vomiting, respiratory infections, and even urinary tract and bloodstream infections.
‘Not only is this an unpleasant image in terms of bacteria living on our mobile phones, but it also shows that many of us could be walking around with our own fecal matter on our screens… Screens that we then bring up to our faces to make calls – yuck,’ SellCell added.
