S. scientists say smartphones reflect the user's world of personal microbes.
A study shows that more than 80% of the common bacteria that make up the "fingerprints" of our personal bacteria will eventually appear on their screens.
Personal items, such as cell phones, may help track the spread of bacteria, they reported in PeerJ.
They reflect our microbes.
Trillions of different micro
Living creatures in and on our bodies.
Mobile phone users are found to touch their phones 150 times a day on average.
Scientists have discovered an overlapping collection.
The creatures that naturally exist on our bodies and on our smartphone screens.
It could one day be used to track people's exposure to bacteria, they say.
In this study, biologists at the University of Oregon sequenced the microbial DNA found on the index finger and thumb of 17 people.
They also collected cotton swabs from the subject's smartphone.
A total of 7,000 different types of bacteria were found in 51 samples.
On average, 22% of the bacterial families overlap between fingers and mobile phones.
Of the most common bacteria found on the participants' fingers, 82% were also present on their mobile phones.
They include three families that are usually found in the skin or mouth.
S. , S. , and B.
Both men and women share bacteria with mobile phones, but women are more connected.
Lead researcher Dr. James Meadow said that although the sample size was small, the results of the study "showed" that.
"This project is a proof. of-
"It's a concept to see if our favorite and closest holdings of property are similar to our own on microbes," he said . ".
"We end up interested in the possibility of using personal items as non-items
Monitor our health and how we relate to our surroundings by invading.
"The researchers say there is no evidence that the phone has more risk of infection than any other phone.
But one day, they say, our phones may be used to study whether people have been exposed to certain bacteria, especially medical staff.
The study confirmed that "we are sharing more than emotional connections with mobile phones --
"They carry our individual microbial populations," Dr. Meadow added . ".
Increasing interest in human microbes
Trillions of micro-population
Creatures living in our intestines, mouth, skin and other parts of our body.
Bacteria can be harmful, but they can also have beneficial effects by digesting food and making the necessary nutrients and vitamins, especially in the intestines.