Report: iPhone, iPad glass crawling with bacteria and viruses
During the winter months in most of the world, you can see pump bottles of antibacterial gel scattered around most businesses as workers and visitors try to keep their hands free of pathogens. Now, a spate of suspiciously similar news items today are warning that the glass screens on iPhones, iPads, and iPods can harbor bacteria.
While that's kind of a big "Duh!" moment -- after all, who hasn't looked at a smeary iPad screen and wondered what kind of bugs are multiplying on the glass -- British researchers in one study found that mobile phones carry 18 times more bacteria than a flush handle in a men's room. Ewwwww. For viruses that have taken up residence on iPhone screens, a single touch can easily transfer them to your fingertips, which then pass the viruses to your eyes, mouth, or nose. Hello, flu!
This isn't something new; the New York Daily News swabbed four iPads in NYC Apple Stores in June, and lab results found Staphylococcus aureus (a common source of staph infections), Candida parapsilosis (a yeast), and Corynebacterium minutissimum (a common source of skin rashes). There are just so many people handing Apple devices at the stores in a typical day that it's almost impossible for them to not pick up bacteria of some sort.
How can you keep yourself from being overrun by disease vectors while using mobile electronics? There are a couple of ways. First, don't share your phone or iPad with others. That's more easily said than done in households with small children, for who Mom and Dad's phones and iPads are just another toy. Second, try to keep the screen clean by using approved cleaning sprays and wipes on a regular basis. For example, I use the Apple-approved iKlear spray and wipes on my iPad and iPhone. Finally, if you do touch a device that has been used by many other people, wash your hands thoroughly after use or use a sanitizing gel.
The reports coming out today might give you pause about handling your iToys, but using a little common sense and regular hygiene practices should keep you from contracting an infection from your devices.
[via Macworld.co.uk]
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During the winter months in most of the world, you can see pump bottles of antibacterial gel scattered around most businesses as workers...
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Point of Clarification: Staphylococcus aureus is the ONLY cause of Staph infections. That's why they are called STAPH infections.
2nd Point of Clarification: staphylococcus, streptococcus, corynebacterium, candida, and many other species of bacteria, yeasts and mites are normal and permanent dwellers on the inside and outside of our bodies.
They help keep the bad bacteria, viruses, yeasts and parasites from making us sick. This report just states the obvious. Our normal flora ends up on the things we touch.
Yawn.
PSTMD
As opposed to Windows tablets, where the viruses are on the inside?
October 17 2010 at 10:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHey!!! You should report that our name address and phone numbers are published in phone books, too, and just about anyone can look up your address!!! If, that is the have a phone book. This is stereotypical media hype. Stupid!!!
October 17 2010 at 9:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyNews Flash. Every surface including your hands feet hair eye lashes shoes pencils etc are covered in bacteria. EVERY THING YOU CAN NAME!!! Don't report stupid things.
October 17 2010 at 9:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyrecall that the worst bugs you'll get this winter are passed in the air and not via surface contact. You only have to inhale 100 flu virus to get the flu and each cubic milliliter of sneeze juice from the little petri dish you passed in the hall when he sneezed contains over 1 million of them. No amount of disinfecting your screen will help you when that happens. Hand sanitizers and clean surfaces are almost completely useless in keeping you from getting a cold or the flu because that isn't how you get them.
October 16 2010 at 10:25 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyNice product placement for Klear.
I use ZAGG products. They're cheaper, and have a cooler name.
if tablets are grimy, keyboards are equally germy and a lot more difficult to disinfect. in fact, hospitals are very enthused about tablet computers and one of the reasons why is that they can be wiped down.
i'd worry more about a doorknob, frankly.
IKLEAR is the the BEST I'm using it for 4 years now on all Mac products, and it's perfect. When you apply it and it dries up you get something like a coating (like wax coating on car). Rub gently and watch the surface shine like new.
October 15 2010 at 4:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI guess I'm just one of those people who thinks too many people worry obsessively about germs. My parents didn't, and as a parent I didn't--all the kids were healthy. The microscopic critters of the earth will always far outnumber us, so I don't worry much about them.
October 15 2010 at 3:47 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyit tastes like tasty, tasty technology. and FUD based germs.
October 15 2010 at 3:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyDeals of the Day
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