Touch Screens, Keyboards and Cross-Contamination Issues

Rutala et al.² reported on a study conducted to determine the degree of microbial contamination, the efficacy of different disinfectants, and the cosmetic and functional effects of the disinfectants on computer keyboards. The researchers assessed the effectiveness of six disinfectants — one each containing chlorine, alcohol, or phenol and three containing quaternary ammonium) against test organisms of oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ORSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species (VRE) inoculated onto study computer keyboards. They also assessed the computer keyboards for functional and cosmetic damage after disinfectant use. Potential pathogens cultured from more than half of the computers included coagulase-negative staphylococci, diphtheroids, Micrococcus species, and Bacillus species. Other pathogens cultured included ORSA, VRE and non-fermentative Gram-negative rods (36 percent). All disinfectants, as well as the sterile water control, were effective at removing or inactivating more than 95 percent of the test bacteria. The researchers observed no functional or cosmetic damage to the computer keyboards after 300 disinfection cycles.