The most recent research from Which? tested 30 keyboards, smartphones and tablets. Keyboards showed 600 units of Staphylococus per swab, compared to 20 units on a toilet seat. You can see a significant difference. High traces of Staph bacteria can cause stomach bugs and food poisoning.
The Food Standards Agency said that this amount of bacteria in a food environment would be unacceptable, and that workers would be required to drastically improve personal hygiene. E. coli, salmonella, listeria, excrement, and staphylococcus have all been found on keyboards to our knowledge. All previous studies have ultimately conlcuded that keyboards, smartphones and tablets have more germs than toilet seats. Research suggests the following can be contracted from a dirty keyboard:
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Stomach bugs
Food poisoning
Flu
The spread of MRSA