The Contamination of Computer Keyboards

Computer keyboards are breeding grounds for bacteria.

With people touching them all day, it's no wonder computer keyboards harbor microorganisms. Research shows just how serious the problem is, and the results are pretty disturbing...and gross.

Common Bacteria

Bacteria of one form or another contaminate all computer keyboards. Researchers at the University of North Carolina studied 25 computer keyboards and found that all of them contained a staph bacterium called coagulase-negative staphylococci, which is a common cause of infections in the bloodstream. 80 percent of the keyboards in the study tested positive for diphtheroids, which present a particular risk of infection for people with weak immune systems.

Affected Environments

Hospitals and schools have the most dangerous computer keyboards, in part because so many different people use them. A 2007 outbreak of norovirus that affected 79 students and 24 staff members at an elementary school in Washington, D.C. was traced back to a contaminated computer keyboard.

Disinfecting

Commercial disinfecting wipes are effective at wiping out 95 percent of the bacteria on keyboards. Even alcohol and sterile water are somewhat effective at disinfecting. The Cleaning Industry Research Institute suggests that keyboards "should be disinfected daily or when visibly soiled."

References

• Sixwise: Computer Keyboard Germs: Your Fingers Aren't the Only Things Dancing All Over Your Computer Keyboard
• Cleaning Industry Research Institute: Bacterial Contamination of Keyboards: Efficacy and Functional Impact of Disinfectants
• Safari Learning: Stomach Flu Spread by Contaminated Computer Keyboards