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Germiest Jobs

By Dr. Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D.

Categories: Schools, Commercial Buildings, Cleaning Measurement, IEQ Measurement, Health & Hygiene

The most bacteria per square inch was found on surfaces commonly used by school teachers. This may be due to constant teacher contact with children or children’s interaction with surrounding surfaces.

Surfaces regularly used by teachers had ten times more bacteria per square inch when compared to other professions. Bankers were 2nd in the amount of surface bacteria found, with accountants 3rd. Lawyers were found to have the least amount of bacteria per square inch.

The amount of bacteria or germs found on each surface is thought to be directly related to item usage and cleaning practices. Occupation averages consisted of the phone, desk and computer mouse.

Germiest Jobs: Created on November 11th, 2007. Last Modified on November 11th, 2007

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The Cleaning Industry Research Institute (CIRI) is a 501.c.3 not-for-profit scientific, educational and research organization that applies science to the practice and improvement of cleaning and maintenance.

This abstract/brief is presented under the recognized "fair use" doctrine with respect to article copyright and intellectual property. Readers are encouraged to secure the full article from the originating publication source. Articles also may be obtained through a librarian, an information specialist or inter-library loan. In cases where payment is required under copyright it can be processed through a reference library or the Copyright Clearance Center at www.copyright.com.

CIRI provides no warranty, expressed or implied, and assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information disclosed on its site. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of CIRI principals, executives, science advisors or affiliates.

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About Dr. Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D.

Charles P. Gerba, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized environmental microbiologist and Professor of Environmental Microbiology in the Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Soil, Water and Environmental Science, at the University of Arizona. His credentials include a B.A. in Microbiology, Arizona State University, 1969, and a Ph.D. in Microbiology, University of Miami, Florida, 1973. He is also a member of the American Academy of Microbiology.

Dr. Gerba has authored more than 400 articles including several text books in environmental microbiology and pollution science. He actively conducts research on the development of new disinfectants and drinking water treatment processes, new methods for the detection of pathogens, and microbial risk assessment. He was a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Committee on the development of the "Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers," which forms the basis for testing the performance of water treatment devices used for outdoor recreation. He is a member of the U.S. EPA's Science Advisory Board Committees on Drinking Water and Research Strategies.

The public knows Dr. Gerba best for his crusading on behalf of household hygiene. He has made frequent media appearances, including Good Morning America, Today, and Dateline, and has been quoted numerous times in international and national reports, magazines and newspapers.

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