Here’s another reason to get out of the office more often: A new study has found high levels of bacteria in the workplace – particularly on chairs and phones – and that men's offices have significantly more germs than women's.
The study, led by researchers from the University of California-San Diego, also found office bacteria levels are virtually the same no matter where you work, with microbial levels in New York, Tucson and San Francisco essentially indistinguishable.
"Humans are spending an increasing amount of time indoors, yet we know little about the diversity of bacteria and viruses where we live, work and play," said Dr. Scott Kelley, lead author on the study, published May 30 in the journal Public Library of Science One.
"This study provides detailed baseline information about the rich bacterial communities in typical office settings and insight into the sources of these organisms."
The researchers identified more than 500 types of bacteria in offices in the three cities studied. Most came from human skin or the nasal, oral, or intestinal cavities.
They also found fewer germs on desktops, keyboards, and mouses than on chairs and phones.