Digital hygiene: What microorganisms are living on your devices and how can we coexist with them without freaking out?

Abstract

In everyday life, electronic devices are with us almost everywhere we go. However, besides information and communication, these objects also carry something we can’t see: microorganisms. These beings are microscopic life forms widely distributed in the environment and closely related to humans. On electronic devices, these microbial communities originate mainly from the skin, the environment, and public spaces, turning these devices into inert surfaces capable of accumulating and transferring microorganisms. This article aims to inform about the main microorganisms identified on electronic devices, their origin, the conditions that contribute to their persistence, and their possible impact on daily life, as well as to present simple and effective hygiene and disinfection strategies that allow for safe coexistence with the microbial world.