Men's Offices Have More Bacteria, Study Finds
Your work space might harbor about as many bacteria species as a bathroom, a new study suggests—and they come mainly from your own body.
In developed countries, millions of people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors—most of them working eight or more hours without going outside, according to the study. (Pictures: "Seven Supergreen U.S. Government Buildings.")
Increasingly, "this is the human habitat, and I think it's important to know what is in our human habitat and where it comes from," said study co-author Scott Kelley, a biologist at San Diego State University.
"Since humans are the main source of the bacteria in offices, we are the ones constantly spreading contamination around our environments," Kelley said.
"Normally this is not a problem. However, in places like hospitals and nursing homes, even harmless bacteria can be a problem."
Kelley and colleagues chose three climatically diverse cities—
