One in five office mugs is coated in poo, warns top US microbiology professor
Communal kitchen sponges spread the brown stuff from mug to mug
ONE in five mugs in your office kitchen is covered in tiny specks of your colleagues' POO, a top microbial professor has revealed.
Dr Charles Gerba - who carried out a bombshell study into workplace faecal matter in - warned that communal kitchen sponges spread the brown stuff from mug to mug.
The study that up to 90 per cent of mugs in work place kitchens are coated in dangerous germs.
And a staggering 20 per cent of them are coated in faecal matter.
Hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley warned: "Whatever you do, don't leave mugs or water bottles out overnight.
"Water is not sterile, and bacteria will build up overnight. Ideally, bring your own mug and bottle to work and don't share them with your colleagues.
"Use a hand gel or antibacterial wipes before eating anything at your desk. The best way to avoid contamination though is to take a break and eat elsewhere.
Ideally, bring your own mug and bottle to work and don't share them with your colleagues
Dr Lisa Ackerley
"So, like you needed an excuse to get out of the office, there it is - 'Boss, I'm going out for lunch because I don't want E. coli'."
Dr Gerba said: “Coliform bacteria were present on 20 percent of the coffee cups before and 100 percent of the coffee cups after wiping with a dishcloth or sponge.
"No E. coli was found on cups prior to wiping. However, 20 percent of coffee cups were positive for E. coli after wiping.
"The presence of insanitary conditions in office kitchen and/or coffee preparation areas is of concern.
"The presence of potential pathogens in this environment necessitates the initiation of proper sanitary standards."
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The study was backed up in 2012 by Dr. Scott Kelley of the University of California - who discovered that male-dominated officers were "significantly" dirtier than ones packed with women.
It identified over 500 different types of bacteria on chairs, phones and computer monitors - most of which came from noses and bums.
Dr Kelley said: "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."
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