What Lurks On Your Keyboard

Harmful Bacteria Could Be Colonizing On Those Keys

(WebMD)  MRSA, a staph infection, can cause skin rash, boils, blisters, toxic shock syndrome, and other types of infection. Unlike VRE and PSAE, it's more likely to spread outside hospitals, usually through an open wound or other skin infection. Infections of antibiotic-resistant staph — also called "superbugs" — have recently popped up in otherwise healthy people, says the release.


Bacteria Survive, Thrive On Keyboards

In the study, clean computer keyboards and keyboard covers were contaminated with the three bacteria.

MRSA and PSAE lived and grew there for 24 hours. VRE was a little less hardy. It only lasted for an hour on the keyboards and no more than five minutes on keyboard covers.

The researchers found people to touch the computer keyboards and covers. The volunteers' gloved or ungloved hands often picked up the bacteria.

"After any contact with computer keyboards, both gloved and ungloved hands frequently became contaminated," the researchers told a meeting of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology.


Swabbing The Decks

If your skin is starting to crawl, know that it's possible to get rid of the bacteria.

Two germicides made for keyboards were tested. According to the products' instructions, one germicide takes 10 minutes to do its job; the other takes five minutes.