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More germs on office desk than toilet seat
LONDON - It is not just computer viruses that office workers have to worry about.
For a hazard closer at hand, they should take a look at their desks.
According to a University of Arizona study, a typical office desk is capable of supporting up to 10 million bacteria - 400 times more germs than the average toilet seat, CNN reported yesterday.
Longer office hours and workplace snacking have combined to create an environment perfect for bacterial contamination, said the report.
'For bacteria, a desk is really the lap of luxury. They can feast all day from breakfast to lunch and even dinner,' said microbiologist Charles Gerba, who conducted the research.
The study found that bacteria levels shot up dramatically during the day, peaking after lunch.
Telephones were worst affected with 25,127 germs found in an average square inch (6.5 sq cm) on the receiver. Desktops were almost as bad, with 20,961 germs found, said the CNN report.
Computer keyboards were found to support 3,295 germs per square inch, with another 1,676 settling on the mouse.
By contrast, the average square inch of a toilet seat is home to just 49 germs.
Although food crumbs and coffee spills can support teeming numbers of bacteria, most office desks get only a quick swipe with a duster by way of cleaning.
'Without cleaning, a small area on your desk or phone can sustain millions of bacteria that could potentially cause illness,' said Dr Gerba.
But there is an easy solution to keeping the bugs away.
After office workers swabbed their desks daily with disinfecting wipes, bacterial levels went down by 99 per cent.
'One good way to kill bacteria and help stop the spread of germs is to regularly clean your personal workspace,' said Dr Gerba.
'Using disinfecting wipes can drastically reduce your chances of illness.'
And if you have to eat your lunch off anything in the office, try the photocopier, said the CNN. It's almost as clean as the bathroom, with just 69 germs per square inch.

Amazing Isn't It? The toilet's the cleanest!
9:42 AM