Is your desk at work making you sick?

Could the computer mouse in your office make you sick? Yes, according to an alarming new study which states that the average computer mouse is three times dirtier than a toilet seat. Disturbing or what?

The Daily Mail reports that researchers have said workers who eat at their desks are slowly but surely turning computer keyboards and mice into breeding grounds for dangerous (and contagious) bacteria and germs.

The survey also found that in general, computer mice that are used by men have 40 per cent more bacteria lurking on their surface.

Initial Washroom Hygiene, who carried out the survey, ranked mice as being the worst source of bacteria in the office. Second in line was the humble office keyboard. This was followed by communal phones and the handles of chairs. So basically your entire office is probably a heaving mass of unseen bacteria. What a comforting thought.

In order to come up with these results, researchers swabbed various items from different office locations and then compared the results with data on toilet hygiene and swabs they took from  toilet seats.

The results revealed that 4 in 10 desks in an office setting contained at least one item that was covered with very high levels of bacteria that posed a serious risk to health.

“It is now common for office workers to spend their lunch hour eating at their desk – often surfing the web or continuing to type at the same time,” said Peter Barratt, who helped conduct the research.

“This leaves crumbs and other food residue all over the work station, particularly on mice and keyboards, making them ideal places for bacteria and other microorganisms to survive and multiply,” he added.

Hmm…it’s probably a good idea to invest in some surface wipes for your desk. Or a pair of gloves so you don’t have to physically touch anything on it ever again…