Bacterial contamination of keyboards: efficacy and functional impact of disinfectants.

This study assessed the six different disinfectants (one each containing chlorine, alcohol, or phenol and three containing quaternary ammonium) against three test organisms (oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [ORSA], Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species) inoculated onto computer keyboards. Potential pathogens cultured from more than 50% included ORSA (4% of keyboards), OSSA (4%), vancomycin-susceptible Enterococcus species (12%), and nonfermentative gram-negative rods (36%). All disinfectants, as well as the sterile water control, were effective at removing or inactivating more than 95% of test bacteria. No damage to keyboards was observed after 300 disinfection cycles. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology 2006;27:372-7.