May 2, 2008 5:35 pm US/Eastern
Health: Keyboards And Bacteria
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
It's where many of us spend our days, on a computer keyboard. New research from London shows of 33 tested four were potential health hazards. One had 150 times the recommended limit for bacteria, five times as filthy as a toilet seat.
"Oh my God that is disgusting," said Anastasia Kerentzis, who is from Philadelphia.
"I think that's very gross. Very gross," said Crystal Hope, who is from Philadelphia.
Swabs from the British researchers showed bacteria related to staph infection and E.coli illuminated with ultraviolet light.
"If you sneeze or blow your nose you put viruses on there which can spread a cold, and even worse if you go to the toilet and don't wash your hands afterwards you'll put off coliforms on there all of these can cause disease in other people," said researcher and microbiologist Dr. Peter Wilson.
And then there's the garden variety germs that come from people eating at their keyboard. Bacteria grows from the food particles.
"I'm going to wipe it down as soon as I get in, said Mark Donaldson of Philadelphia, who works at a computer daily.
Another interesting fact from the research, women have three to four times the amount of germs on their work area than men.
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