Does reality television make you sick? Me too… but not as much as the TV remote in the hospital bed can, apparently.

Microbiology Professor Chuck Gerba — “The Germ Doctor” says that the TV remote harbors more bacteria than “the toilet bowl handle, bathroom door and call buttons, among others. Even more disturbing is the detection of Methicillin-Resistent Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) on the remote control. As an antibiotic- resistant bacteria, MRSA is a leading cause of infection and death in hospitals.”

Wait, what? The most dangerous thing in the patients room is the TV remote? Mom always said TV would rot my brain, but I never thought it could kill me.

The University of Arizona carried out the study, finding “the total average bacteria on sites in the hospital room were 91, compared to the average for the remote controls at 320. The sites tested included the hand rail, call button, tray table, door knob in/out, bath door out, faucet handle and flush handle.”

Study Results:

• The average total bacteria on the remote controls was 320.
• The average total bacteria on sites in the hospital room was 91.
• The average total bacteria on newly opened disposable remotes was 8.35.
• There was no detection of Staphylococcus Aureus on newly opened disposable remotes.
• MRSA bacteria were present on television remote controls in patient hospital rooms.

Nothing like a little death-by-remote to start the morning off… Luckily we don’t all live in hospital beds, though one might wonder what critters reside on the family remote surface, unbeknownst to the human eye. Time to grab that anti-bacterial cream or perhaps it’s time to consider a personal remote to limit the exposure to germs to your very own.