Phones And Computers As Infectious Disease Vectors And What You Can Do About It
A recently posted Apple Knowledge Base article says:
"In addition to regular cleaning of your computer and input devices (keyboards, trackpads, and mice), you may find it necessary to disinfect them.
"Multiple people using the same computer, people using the computer when they were ill, and the particular environment where the computer is used, are a few reasons you may wish to disinfect areas of the computer that people come into contact with the most."
The article goes on to suggest that "In order to properly disinfect these areas, you should use Lysol Wipes, Clorox Disinfecting wipes, or Clorox Kitchen Disinfecting Wipes and follow the general rules below when disinfecting your Apple product."
Studies conducted at the University of Arizona found that telephones are the most germ-infected objects in usual environments, followed by desktops, water fountain handles, microwave door handles, computer keyboards and mice. (Famously, these studies, headed by microbiologist Charles Gerba, revealed that keyboards can have 400 times more bacteria than an average toilet seat.) Here are relative germ densities of frequently touched office equipment cited in study abstracts:
Phone: 25,127 germs per square inch
Desktop surface: 20,961 germs per square inch
Keyboard: 3,295 germs per square inch
Mouse: 1,676 germs per square inch
Fax machine: 301 germs per square inch
Copy machine: 69 germs per square inch
Toilet seat: 49 germs per square inch.
The area where you rest your hand on your desk has on average 10 million bacteria say the researchers.
"For bacteria, a desk is really the laptop of luxury," Dr. Gerba commented in a press release. "They can feast all day from breakfast to lunch and even dinner." Gerba and his researchers found that unless desks were wiped clean with a disinfectant during the day, bacteria levels climbed higher and higher, peaking after lunch.
The bacteria crawling all over your phone, keyboard and mouse right now may include hundreds of different types, including nasties like E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, streptococcus, salmonella and staphyloccus aureus (a.k.a. "staph").
Staph can cause anything from pimples, boils and cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the skin, to fatal diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis and toxic shock syndrome. Gerba tested 25 cell phones and found staph on almost half of them.
To say nothing of the viruses that cause colds and flu, which are are a factor in about 23,000 deaths annually in North America. Complications of colds include bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections, mastoiditis, meningitis, pneumonia, and exacerbation of chronic illnesses.
Cell phones are particularly efficient germ vectors, easily infected because they are held close to or touching our faces and lips, and get breathed on at close range, held and operated with hands that may not have been recently washed, and stored in warm, dark pockets - ideal conditions for germ incubation and propagation.
Keyboards and mice obviously also get touched continuously and frequently become contaminated with germ-generating food residues when users eat at their desks. Microbes get transfered to hands to keyboards and mice to phones and back again as we move from one device to another, building up colonies of potentially disease-causing agents on their vector surfaces. Bacteria that reside in the upper mouth or respiratory tract deposited on an in-office computer keyboard and survive 24 hours or more. A study reported at the American Society for Microbiology found that Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) can survive on computer keyboards for up to 6 weeks.
"We don't think twice about eating at our desks, even though the average desk has 100 times more bacteria than a kitchen table and 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet," notes Dr. Gerba. "Without cleaning, a small area on your desk or phone can sustain
millions of bacteria that could potentially cause illness."
Even worse, research has shown that while 95 percent of people say they wash their hands after using a public bathroom, only 67 percent actually do wash their hands, and just 33 percent of the hand-washers use soap, while only 16 percent of those who do wash their hands do so for long enough (which is about the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" or "Yankee Doodle" through at normal tempo). Not comfortable to contemplate.
Aside from swabbing the contact surfaces with disinfectants on a regular and frequent basis. a passive approach is also possible in the form of a growing selection of antimicrobial phones, keyboards and mice. Most of these new gadgets are coated with germ-hostile materials, either antibiotics or based on silver, which you may see advertised as "nano sliver" or "silver ion." More on these in a moment.
What about antibacterial soaps and hand creams? Not much good, apparently. "Antibacterial soaps would be good if they worked, but they don't seem to do anything," Dr. Gerba reports.
Columbia University researchers reported in a study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, that families using anti-bacterial cleaning products experienced about the same number of runny noses, sore throats and fevers as a control group using ordinary soaps and detergents. Viruses, not bacteria, cause the vast majority of these ailments, and antibiotics are useless against viruses. Worse, other research has indicated that some common antibacterial agents used in cleaning products can create antibiotic-resistant microbes. Unlike antibiotics, disinfectants like Lysol, Clorox, colloidal silver and hydrogen peroxide (the latter two of which are even more effective when used in tandem) have not been found to promote the formation of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs."
A century ago, infectious disease was the number one cause of death. However, Ignaz Semmelweis's discovery in 1847 that washing of hands made a (dramatic) difference in surgical outcomes was a breakthrough in understanding that pathogenic microbes are the cause of infectious disease. Semmelweis was more or less drummed out of the medical profession for his trouble, something that might give pause to those who scoff at "hypochondriacs" worrying about germs on their phones and keyboards. Even his wife turned against poor Ignaz, who was eventually committed to a mental institution where he died after just 14 days, possibly after being severely beaten by guards. However, Semmelweis's pioneering paved the way for Louis Pasteur's and Robert Koch's germ theory of disease, in turn resulting in better hygiene practices (particularly in medical facilities) in the late 19th Century, and the revolution in medical understanding that led to the discovery of antibiotic drugs in the mid-20th Century. By the 1980s, infectious disease had fallen to being the No. 5 killer, but since then it has insidiously crept back up to third place.
It may or may not be coincidence that the trend reversal happened around the same time that personal computers and cell phones became popular and then near-universal accoutrements of contemporary life, but is certainly an interesting parallel. And while deaths directly related to electronic devices as germ vectors are probably rare, bacteria and viruses don't have to kill you to make your life miserable, as plenty of folks who've been stricken with the flu this winter can attest.
Key to protecting one's self and others from microbial infections is to understand vectors - the routes via which disease pathogens enter our bodies, and it so happens that human/machine interfaces of the electronic devices that have become ubiquitous tools of everyday life are also highly efficient disease vectors.
For their study, the University of Arizona's Charles Gerba and his team separated office workers into two groups. One group used disinfecting wipes to clean their desks, phones and computers once a day while the other did not. Within two days, the wipes users were found to have a 99.9 percent reduction in bacteria levels. Among people who did not use wipes, bacteria levels increased an average of 19-31% on their telephone, computer mouse, keyboard and desktop surfaces throughout a typical workday.
My own favorite disinfection agents are hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver. While proprietary disinfectants like the Lysol and Clorox suggested by Apple can certainly do the job, they are problematical for folks like myself and others who are afflicted with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). While germs may make me sick, it is 100 percent certain that exposure to strong-scented cleaning chemicals will make me sick, so the cure in that context may be worse than the original problem, so to speak. Or not, but since perfectly satisfactory and effective non-aromatic alternative disinfectants are available, it doesn't have to be an issue.
Both hydrogen peroxide and colloidal silver are efficient disinfectants. They are both also quite safe as chemicals go. At standard dilutions, hydrogen peroxide may cause mild skin irritation to extremely sensitive individuals, but that's about the only caveat with respect to topical exposure, while colloidal silver, in my experience, has proved a benign and indeed a wonderfully soothing and dealing agent for burns and skin irritation. Hydrogen peroxide also has the advantage of being cheap, and colloidal silver can be if you make your own, as I do, using a simple, electronic generation device. I just keep a bottle of colloidal silver handy that can be used to wet a cloth or paper towel and swab down the contact surfaces of my input devices from time to time.
According to the British Columbia, Canada, Environmental Protection Department's Water Quality Branch "Silver is a disinfectant for non-spore forming bacteria at concentrations three or four orders of magnitude below the levels at which it is toxic to mammalian life (about 1 gm/day for humans or 500 mg/L in their drinking water)." And that's talking about ingestion. Speaking of which, there is a condition called Agyria that causes a permanent grayish discoloration of the skin in some individuals who ingest large amounts of colloidal silver over extended periods of time, but it is rare, and simply not an issue of concern in terms of using silver as a disinfectant, even on the surface of the skin.
United States Patent 6027469, a disinfecting system for hemodialysis apparatus issued February 22, 2000, notes:
"Hydrogen peroxide is used in hospitals to disinfect surfaces. It is sometimes mixed with colloidal silver. It is often preferred because it causes far fewer allergic reactions than alternative disinfectants."
For its part, when colloidal silver comes into contact with a germs like E-coli or staph is essentially smothers the microbe, rendering it unable to breath or reproduce, effectively stopping it in its tracks."
Another avenue of vector interdiction and prevention is the use of keyboards, mice, mouse pads, wrist-rests, and even cellphones that have been coated with antimicrobial agents, organic (ie: antibiotics; not so good for you) or silver-based.
Some keyboards and mice (but no cell phones I've heard of) can also be washed in a dishwasher, which is an effective means of disinfecting them. Some of these products are outlined in the Appendix below. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any Apple Mac specific antimicrobial or washable keyboards.
Like I said, it's not wise to obsess, but it does make good sense to exercise some cautious prudence in cutting down exposure to disease-causing organisms. Apple's advice is good, especially if you're involved with computers, telephones, and other tactile-contact devices in a multi-user environment, whether at the office or at home.
Employee illness causing both absenteeism and "presenteeism" is also a major cost factor for business. A Cornell University Study published last April in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine determined that "presenteeism" - workers coming to work sick, costs employers an average of $255 each year because they work more slowly, have to repeat tasks, have difficulty concentrating and generally bog down productivity. Makes spending a few bucks on some disinfectant wipes, or even buying antimicrobial input devices good business sense.
Appendix - Antimicrobial Input Device Products (from manufacturer's information)
Seal Shield Silver Seal Washable, Antimicrobial Keyboards And Mouse
Seal Shield Corporation is an infection control solutions manufacturer specializing in dishwasher safe, washable computer devices. Seal Shield's products have been developed in response to the demand from healthcare organizations for disinfectant solutions to combat the spread of cross contamination infections.
The new SILVER SEAL mouse is manufactured with an ergonomic shape for maximum comfort and ease of use, and is unique in that it is both antimicrobial and Dishwasher Safe. The SILVER SEAL mouse makes the perfect companion to Seal Shield's SILVER SEAL Washable, antimicrobial Keyboard.
Seal Shield is currently accepting orders for the SILVER SEAL Mouse, which are scheduled to begin shipping in this month. The SILVER SEAL mouse has a suggested retail price of $69.99, with a street price of approximately $40 when purchased through authorized distributors including Dell, CDW, Corporate Express, Insight, Synnex and other resellers.
For more information about SEAL SHIELD infection control products and SILVER SEAL antimicrobial solutions, visit:
http://www.SealShield.com.
In the past, antibacterial solutions have focused on the use of a coating that contains antibacterial properties. The problem with this solution is that the coating wears off over time, leaving the item free to once again carry deadly bacteria.
Another issue with some of these coatings is that they tend to be organic compounds. Organic material has conventionally been the main stream of antibacterial material. But recently, there have been many reports of illness caused by organic antibacterial materials.
An article in the Mainichi Newspaper, June 9,1998, had this to say about the use of such materials: "Organic antibacterial materials can be easily transferred from the product to the skin through sweat. Also when vaporized, it is inhaled into the lungs, causing headaches and indisposition".
Generally speaking, inorganic materials are highly safe (non-volatile) and heat-resistant , compared to organic materials. Therefore, antibacterial materials, if inorganic, can be safe and gentle to the human body.
SILVER SEAL Is Different
SILVER SEAL addresses the problem by embedding the antibacterial properties in the plastic used to make the keyboards and mice.
Silver and certain other metals such as copper have antimicrobial properties.For example, silverware and copperware has been known to prevent decay of water and food since the ancient times. The question is, how could such properties be "built into" other products? Enter nanotechnology for the answer.
SILVER SEALis a soluble glass containing antimicrobial silver ions.
Silver is a natural antibiotic product and its properties have been incorporated into the SILVER SEAL product line using the latest "nanotechnologies". Silver ions are infused in the plastic used to create the SILVER SEAL product line. When these ions are exposed to moisture in the air, they create an antimicrobial shield on the product that resists bacteria.
Glass is generally considered as a material with high chemical inertness due to its strong network structure. However, it is possible to lower this chemical inertness by continuously altering its structure especially in water.
Additionally, glass has an interesting property which allows it to retain metal as ions. The combination of this property and the above technology has enabled science to create glass with low chemical inertness which can also retain anti-microbial metal ions such as silver and copper. With the presence of water or moisture, the glass will release these metal ions gradually to function as anti-microbial material.
Silver ions, contained in glass particles, are the active agents. Unlike the situation with standard antibiotics, bacteria are unable to develop resistance to silver ions. Glass as the matrix prevents unwanted greying known from other silver based materials. This antimicrobial effect is guaranteed for several years.
With the presence of moisture, SILVER SEAL releases a few silver ions gradually. Silver ions have an ability to strongly bind to cellular enzyme of microbes and inhibit enzyme activity of cell wall, membrane, and nucleic acids.
As microbes have a negative surface charge, silver ions with a positive charge are drawn toward microbes, and disturb their electric balance. The result is that the microbes burst their cell walls and are extinguished.
Otherwise, silver ions are taken into microbes where they react and bond to the cellular enzyme microbes. This inhibits enzyme activity and multiplication of microbes, thus extinguishing the microbes.
The images below demonstrate this quite effectively. The image on the left shows the amount of staph infection-causing bacteria that has grown in a 24-hour period on an untreated surface compared to the amount of growth on a SILVER SEAL surface (none). This unique application of newer nanotechnology introduces a new era in infection control as applied to computer input devices.
For more information, visit:
http://www.sealshield.com/silverseal.htm
Medical Grade Washable Scroll Mouse
Fully submersible, washable, optical scroll mouse with SEAL SCROLL page grabber.
Seal Shield Washable Scroll Mouse Features
• Completely sealed, washable and waterproof. IP-68
• Resistant to chemicals and disinfectants
• SEAL SCROLL™ page grabber (Patent Pending)
• SEAL CAP™ washable USB cover (Patent Pending)
• Precision optics with 800 dpi resolution
• Ergonomic design and SEAL SKIN Comfort Grip silicon reduce the risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
For more information, visit:
http://www.sealshield.com/mouse.htm
Fellowes Cordless Keyboard & Mouse Combo with Antimicrobial Protection
Fellowes Cordless Keyboard & Mouse Combo with Microban Protection, USB,
offers a 6-ft. wireless range & the added convenience of one standard USB plug-in for extra versatility.
Built-in antimicrobial protection provides continuous cleaning action, inhibiting the growth of damaging bacteria that can cause stains & odors for maximum cleanliness & safety. Keyboard includes multimedia function keys & Internet launch keys to provide an easy experience. Features a multiple channel RF transmission to eliminate interference. Scroll mouse designed with advanced optical technology for a smooth performance.
Device Type: Computer; Wired / Wireless: Wireless; Maximum Wireless Range: 6 ft; Connector / Port: USB.
Black
Price - $99.99
For more information, visit:
http://www.officeworld.com/Worlds-Biggest-Selection/FEL98917/08Q1/
Medical Grade Washable Antibacterial Mouse Pad
Waterproof mouse pad is made from antibacterial plastic. Available in custom designs.
For more information, visit:
http://www.sealshield.com/mousepad.htm
Anti-Microbial Mouse Pads
Consumer awareness and concern about bacteria, mold, and mildew exposure is growing, in particular for computers used by office workers, students, and families. Many computer surfaces are susceptible to harboring microbes, and it is difficult to keep these surfaces sufficiently clean. Our Antimicrobial Mouse Pads, featuring Agion's antimicrobial technology, have been developed to work continuously to inhibit the growth of microbes using "nature's antimicrobial" – naturally-safe silver ion technology. Agion Antimicrobial Surface Mouse Pad
The Germ-Fighting Mousepad - Features:
* Anti-Microbial Surface - helps fight dangerous microbes
* Sanitary - reduces microorganisms which can cause illness
* Latex-Free
* Effective and Long-Lasting Protection
* Ultra-Thin Design
* Lo-Tac Adhesive Backing
* Durable Vinyl Surface
* Scratch and Tear Resistant
* Repositionable
* Low Profile and Light-Weight
* No Adhesive Residue
* 100% Recyclable
* Grease and Stain Resistant
* Surface Easily Wipes Clean
* Waterproof - printing is applied directly to underside of plastic surface. No paper!
* Economical - one of the most cost effective mats around
* Vivid Full-Color Printing
Agion Antimicrobial Counter Mats
* Anti-Microbial Surface - great for schools, hospitals, and all health care facilities
* Window Mat Style - window openings for your ad graphics or photos
* Double-Sided Printing - 4-color process printing available on two-sides
* Magazine and Catalog Insertable
* Direct Mail Sizes Available
* Standard Countermat Sizes Available
* Custom Shapes and Sizes
* Desk Accessory Kit - with Keyboard and Mouse
The lo-tac adhesive base keeps the mousepad in place but allows it to be repositioned multiple times without leaving any sticky residue. Antimicrobial protection is available in mouse pads, counter mats, keyboards, computer mice, accessories, and more. Use anywhere you need an antimicrobial agent or antimicrobial protected surface.
For more information, visit:
http://www.bettermousepads.com/healthEpromotions.com/antimicrobial_mouse_pad.html
SteriTouch Antimicrobial Keyboard Covers
SteriTouch polyurethane keyboard covers are manufactured to accurately fit specific keyboard models, providing a type-through protective cover to prevent damage from liquids spills, dust & debris.
The SteriTouch covers can be cleaned and disinfected while on the keyboard, using detergent, alcohol or chlorine solution. They will withstand the harsh cleaning regimes of clinical environments, with no adverse effect on the quality of the cover.
Additionally, the SteriTouch antimicrobial additive will act to reduce the growth of bacteria between cleaning cycles.
Long term protection against spills & debris.
Made from highly durable, clear polyurethane film.
Anti-glare & latex free.
Does not interfere with typing.
Simple to install.
Easy to clean without removing from the keyboard.
£13.61+VAT each
For more information, visit:
http://www.steritouch.com/icp/antimicrobial_keyboard_covers.htm
iSkin ProTouch Apple Keyboard Cover
We all love our Apple keyboard but keeping it free of dirt, food spills and other hazards is nearly impossible. That's why we make the iSkin ProTouch, to protect your keyboard from the elements while you type.
The ProTouch has a snug fit over each key to provide functional protection, and soften the noise made by keystrokes making it perfect for home, corporate and class rooms.
The iSkin ProTouch for the New Apple Keyboard features built-in Microban antimicrobial product protection to inhibit the growth of bacteria that can cause odors and stains for the life of the product. Microban is registered with the EPA for all applications in which it is used. Microban protection can be found in the products of leading consumer and industrial products around the world.
Best of all, your new Apple Keyboard will be preserved and look as new as the day you got it.
For more information, visit:
http://www.iskin.com/protouch_overview.html
Charles W. Moore
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