Computer Peripherals Can Spread Stomach Flu

I'm heading to Las Vegas this weekend for the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show, and the only thing I'm not looking forward to is catching the flu or a stomach virus while at the show. Getting sick is unavoidable, especially when you have more than 100,000 people attending the show.

Last year I was sick for a day during the show, so I'm taking extra precautions next week. This year, a prevalent piece of advice in the news is to wash your hands and avoid hand-to-eye/mouth contact as much as you can, and Health Day says this is extremely important if you use a public computer. Apparently, the norovirus, better known as the stomach flu, can be passed from one person to another through keyboards and mice found in public spaces. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a computer mouse and keyboard that tested positive for norovirus and may have been responsible for a norovirus outbreak at a Washington D.C. elementary school where 103 people got sick last year.

Unfortunately, the virus can live on these surfaces for several days, so to prevent further spreading of the virus, people are advised to wash their hands after using shared objects, and disinfect public computer keyboards and mice with diluted bleach. Keep that in mind when you're at home with sick folks too.

There are a handful of washable and germ-free mice out there, so check them out. Chris Null reviewed the IOGerm Free Wireless Mouse, which he says is coated with a nano-particle compound to prevent bacteria and virus growth, and Dory Devlin says the Belkin Washable Mouse can be submerged under water and cleaned with mild soap. These two mice are great ideas, and worth checking out during this flu season.

Belkin Introduces a Washable Mouse for Kids
Hands-on Review: IOGear Germ Free Wireless Laser Mouse
Stomach Flu Spread By Contaminated Computer Keyboards (Health Day)