Awaz Apni
LONDON: Mobile phones are writhing bug factories that can harbour 18 times more bacteria than a flush handle in a men's toilet, a new study shows.
With iPhone 4 fever about to hit Melbourne, a researcher who swabbed 30 mobiles found at least seven had unacceptably high levels of bacteria.
The results point to potentially poor hygiene among millions of mobile phone users that could result in stomach upsets, or worse.
"The levels of potentially harmful bacteria on one mobile were off the scale," said UK hygiene expert Jim Francis.
"That phone needs sterilising."
The microscopic nasties ranged from enterobacteria, a group of bacteria that includes bugs such as salmonella, to food poisoning bugs e.coli and staphylococcus aureus.
Even if a phone owner is scrupulously clean, beating the bacteria may not be so simple.
Handing your phone to others so they can view holiday snaps or marvel at a cool new iPhone app is an invitation for bugs to get on board.
Researcher Ceri Stanaway said most phones in the study didn't have any bacteria that would make users sick straight away, but they were grubbier than they need be.
"The bugs can end up on your hands, which is a breeding ground and be passed back to your phone," she said.
"They can be transferred back and forth and eventually you could catch something nasty."
Researchers said the study showed how easy it was to come into contact with bacteria.
"People see toilet flushes as being something dirty to touch but they have less bacteria than phones," Ms Stanaway said.
Q: As all the major parties are taking part in the elections, what future scenario do you foresee? Explain: The general elections are going to be held on January 8, 2008. All major political parties except two or three are participating in the elections. Among the major parties, contesting the elections, are Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Pakistan Muslim League (N), Pakistan People’s Party, Jamiat Ulma-e-Islam (F), Muttehadda Qaumi Movement, Pakistan Muslim League (Functional). As all the major parties are taking part in the elections, what future scenario do you foresee? Awaz Public Ki the elections will lead to a confused scenario if the establishment tried to manipulate the polls as it did in the past elections.they must avoid to engineer the elections, which will prove disasterous for the country. tanveer hussaini [Karachi]Posted on 26, Dec 2007 --> As far as future of polls.. the political system has been set on flames unfortunately.. I would like to say that for any successful n...

