Bacteriological Analysis of Mobile Phone Contamination in Msallata, Libya: Investigating the Role of High Altitude and Environmental Factors
Keywords:
Msallata, High Altitude, Mobile Phones, Bacillus, UV-B Radiation, LibyaAbstract
Mobile phones are established vectors for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms, yet the influence of geographic elevation on their microbial ecology remains poorly understood. In the Libyan highlands, like the city of Msallata, environmental stressors such as increased ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation and lower relative humidity act as selective pressures on surface-dwelling bacteria, and may influence survival of bacterial pathogens on these devices
Objective: This study aimed to quantify the bacterial contamination on mobile phones in Msallata, Libya, and to evaluate the correlation between high-altitude environmental factors and microbial density and diversity.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of 60 mobile phones, from different sources including student and hospital communities was conducted, with samples categorized into Zone 1 (Lowland: 200–300m, Tripoli, Libya) and Zone 2 (Highland:>550m, Msallata, Libya). Aseptic swabbing was performed on phone surfaces, followed by cultivation on Blood Agar, MacConkey Agar, and Mannitol Salt Agar. Bacterial identification was achieved through Gram staining and biochemical assays.
Results: The overall contamination rate was 92.5% (56). A statistically significant reduction in mean microbial density was observed in the highland zone 26.5±4.1 CFU/cm2 compared to the lowland zone 48.2± 6.4 CFU/cm2; P < 0.05. While Zone 1 was dominated by common skin flora (Staphylococcus spp.), Zone 2 exhibited a significant shift toward spore-forming Bacillus species (45.3%). This transition suggests that high-altitude UV-B flux selects for organisms with robust DNA repair mechanisms and desiccation resistance.
Conclusion: The high-altitude environment of Msallata exerts a natural "filtering" effect that reduces total bacterial load but selects highly resilient, environmental phenotypes. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted hygiene protocols in highland regions to mitigate the risk of transmitting "hardened" pathogenic strains.
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