Immanuel
16-03-04, 13:07
Toilet seats cleaner than keyboards
Correspondents in New York
MARCH 12, 2004
KEYBOARDS, computer mice and telephone dials are more infested with microbes than toilet seats, according to a new study.
The University of Arizona study study recommends that office work stations be regularly disinfected since they can on average contain 400 times as many germs as a toilet seat, said Charles Gerba, a University of Arizona microbiologist.
According to the study, telephones harboured up to 25,127 germs per square inch, keyboards 3,295 and computer mice 1,676. The average office contains 20,961 germs per square inch.
"Desks are really bacteria cafeterias," Mr Gerba said. "They are breakfast bars, lunch tables and everything else, as we spend more hours at the office.
"When someone is infected with a cold or flu bug, the surfaces they touch during the day become germ transfer points because some cold and flu viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours," he added. "An office can become an incubator."
US health officials last month warned about the dissemination of germs during the flu season.
Correspondents in New York
MARCH 12, 2004
KEYBOARDS, computer mice and telephone dials are more infested with microbes than toilet seats, according to a new study.
The University of Arizona study study recommends that office work stations be regularly disinfected since they can on average contain 400 times as many germs as a toilet seat, said Charles Gerba, a University of Arizona microbiologist.
According to the study, telephones harboured up to 25,127 germs per square inch, keyboards 3,295 and computer mice 1,676. The average office contains 20,961 germs per square inch.
"Desks are really bacteria cafeterias," Mr Gerba said. "They are breakfast bars, lunch tables and everything else, as we spend more hours at the office.
"When someone is infected with a cold or flu bug, the surfaces they touch during the day become germ transfer points because some cold and flu viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours," he added. "An office can become an incubator."
US health officials last month warned about the dissemination of germs during the flu season.