VENDING MACHINE BUTTONS AND TOUCH SCREENS: A SURFACE COLONIZED BY PATHOGENIC BACTERIA.

As potentially pathogenic organisms were previously isolated from different inanimate objects, it was decided to investigate, in this study, the extent of contamination of the press buttons or touch screens of public vending machines, that have now become so diverse and distributed in almost all public areas in any community. Twelve vending machines located in different places in public areas in the Ras-Beirut area were included in the study. Standard microbiology laboratory techniques were conducted and several bacterial specieswere isolated from the tested sites of the machines in the following frequencies: S. aureus (67%), coagulase-negative staphylococci. (33 %), Enterobacter cloacae (25%),Klebsiella pneumoniae (17 %), Citrobacterfreundii(17%),Serratiaficaria(17%),Rahnellaaquatilis(17%), Escherichia vulneris(8 %), Pantoeasp. (8 %), and Serratiaplymuthica(8 %). Vending machine buttons or touch screenswere proved to act as vehicles of potential pathogens, unintentionally having a significant impact on the general health of the community. The results of this study suggest the need for improved sanitization of the vending machine buttons or touch screens. However, in order to minimize the exposure to pathogens and transmission of any microbial infections among users of the vending machines, it is also recommended that proper individual hygienic precautionary measures be always taken.