Cellphones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats, so it shouldn't be surprising that a man in Uganda reportedly contracted Ebola after stealing one.
While toilets tend to get cleaned frequently, because people associate the bathroom with germs, cellphones and other commonly handled objects — like remote controls— are often left out of the cleaning routine.
Cellphones pick up germs all the time, Gerba said. "I see people talk on their phone on toilets."
However, the amount of germs on a phone isn't a problem — it’s the sharing of phones between people. Without sharing, each phone carries just one set of germs, and won't get its owner sick, Gerba said.
The problem with phones is that we're in constant contact with them, and they spend a lot of time in close proximity to our faces and mouths. And, because it's an electronic device, most people are hesitant about cleaning them.