Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/189973

Title

Microorganisms identified on computer keyboards

Author(s)

Anderson, Glenn;  Palombo, Enzo A.

Abstract

The keyboards of multiple-user (student) and single-user (staff) computers located on a university campus were sampled to assess microbial contamination. Ten keyboards were sampled at random from 3 separate multiple-user student computer laboratories on the Hawthorn campus of Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne Australia, at least 12 hours after the laboratories were last occupied by students. Five single-user computer keyboards located in staff offices were also sampled. All computers had been in use for a period of 1 to 3 years. To obtain an estimate of the total level of microbial contamination, a contact agar plate containing 4 cm2 of Plate Count Agar (PCA; Oxoid, Basingstoke, UK) was directly contacted with an area of the keyboard that included the space bar. These plates were incubated at 30 degrees Celsius for 48 hours. To determine the types of microorganisms present, the remainder of the keyboard was sampled with a moistened sterile cotton swab, which was then placed into 4 mL of Tryptic Soya Broth (Oxoid) and incubated at 30 degrees Celsius for 48 hours.

Publication type

Research dataset

Research centre

Swinburne University of Technology., Faculty of Life and Social Sciences., Environment and Biotechnology Centre

Source

Originally published in: Anderson, G., & Palombo, E. A. (2009). Microbial contamination of computer keyboards in a university setting. American Journal of Infection Control, Vol. 37, no. 6 (Aug 2009), pp. 507-509

Publication year

2009

FOR Code(s)

1117 Public Health and Health Services;  111705 Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety;  920405 Environmental Health;  920406 Food Safety

Keyword(s)

Computer keyboards;  Microbial contamination;  Microorganisms;  Multi-user workstations;  Pathogens;  Research studies published in 2009;  Swinburne University of Technology;  Universities

Publisher

Mosby

Publisher URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2008.10.032

Publisher URL

http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/50291

Copyright

This dataset was originally published as part of an article that is copyright © 2009 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Access to the dataset is currently only available through a subscription to the American Journal of Infection Control or by contacting the author. For more information, please see: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/50291.

Research Projects

Public and Environmental Health research program, Environment and Biotechnology Centre, Swinburne University of Technology