RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION@#Concerns have been increased about the use of mobile phones in hospitals as they may be vehicles for the transmission of hospital-acquired infections. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes with bleach-based wipes in decreasing bacterial colony counts of mobile phones of staff nurses.@*METHODS@#Mobile phones of staff nurses in the UERM Hospital were assigned to be disinfected with 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes or bleach-based wipes. Mobile phones were swabbed using standard techniques before and after disinfection with 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes or bleach-based wipes. Post-disinfection colony counts were compared with baseline counts in each group and compared between the two test groups.@*RESULTS@#There was a significant decrease in the post-disinfection mean colony count compared with the mean baseline colony count in both the 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes (p < 0.001) and bleach-based wipes (p = 0.002) groups. The decrease in the 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes group was bigger (121,635 vs 85,769 CFU/mL). The mean post-disinfection colony count of the 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes was significantly lower (p = 0.007) than the other group.@*CONCLUSION@#Both 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes and bleach-based wipes are effective in decreasing bacterial colony counts of mobile phones of staff nurses. The alcohol wipes resulted in a greater decrease in colony count compared with the bleach wipes.
RESUMEN
La investigación en los métodos de diagnóstico es frecuente. Los clínicos debemos de ser críticos en su lectura para decidir la utilidad y las ventajas de los nuevos métodos sobre los ya descritos, y de la investigación en este campo. El presente artículo tiene como objetivo ofrecer al lector, en forma fácil algunos principios y lineamientos bien conocidos que le permitan tener la capacidad de evaluar la validez y confiabilidad en la lectura de artículos referentes a la investigación en pruebas diagnósticas