Identification of Bacteria from Public Toilets of Modern Market (Goico) in Musanze Town, Rwanda
Abstract
Background: Bacteria are present on all surfaces, to which they were carried by many direct and indirect methods of transmission. A toilet is simply a receptacle into which both solid and liquid waste of human origin, in the form of urine and excreta are discharged. In public toilets, complete strangers mix and use the same sanitary facilities, with all the related risks of bodily fluid exchange, contamination and organism transmission. Unhygienic use of the toilet’s facilities may cause urine and fecal residues after use to serve as a major reservoir or source of human pathogen, which may in turn bring about disease outbreak.
Aim: This study aimed at Identification of Bacteria from Public Toilets of Modern Market (Goico) In Musanze Town, Rwanda
Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted to identify bacteria from GOICO market toilets. About 40 samples; 20 from male and 20 from female toilets were collected and transported to INES-clinical microbiology laboratory for microbiological analysis. Laboratory techniques including culture, gram stain, biochemical tests and antibiogram were performed.
Results: The most predominant bacteria isolated was S. aureus (31.43%), followed by S. typhi (20%), Streptococcus(15.71%), E. coli(12.86%), P. aeuriginosa(10%), P. mirabilis(7.14%), C. freundi(1.43%), S. epidermidis (1.43%). It was noted that female toilets were more contaminated (51.43%) than male toilets (48.57%). All gram positive and gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to Gentamicin. Almost all bacteria except P. mirabilis were sensitive to Norfloxacin, gram negative showed a resistance to Vancomycin and Novobiocin.
Conclusion: These results should alert public toilets users that extreme caution must be executed while using these toilets, as they may be a source of pathogenic bacteria. The best way to keep a toilet and its seat free of bacteria is to clean it with bleach. Otherwise, keep the bacteria at bay by washing your hands, and if you just don't trust that toilet seat, wipe it down with a disinfectant or antibacterial wipe before you sit.
Keywords: Bacteria, Public toilets, E. coli, S. typhi, Urinary tract
Keywords:
Bacteria, Public toilets, E. coli, S. typhi, Urinary tractDOI
https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v14i6.6659References
Abney, S. E., Bright, K. R., McKinney, J., Ijaz, M. K., & Gerba, C. P. Toilet hygiene review and research needs. Journal of Applied Microbiology; 2021,131(6):2705-2714. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.15121 PMid:33899991 PMCid:PMC9292268
Best, E.L., Sandoe, J.A.T. and Wilcox, M.H. "Potential for aerosolization of Clostridium difficile after flushing toilets: the role of toilet lids in reducing environmental contamination risk." Journal of Hospital Infection, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2011.08.010 PMid:22137761
Alain Prudence I, Evariste N, Clementine Y, Hiberte M, Consolée U, Jean De Dieu T, Assessment of Urinary Tract Infections Among Female Patients Attending Ruhengeri Referral Hospital, Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics. 2024; 14(5):19-22 https://doi.org/10.22270/jddt.v14i5.6247
Flores, G. E., Bates, S. T., Knights, D., Lauber, C. L., Stombaugh, J., Knight, R., & Fierer, N. Microbial biogeography of public restroom surfaces. PloS one; 2011;6(11). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028132 PMid:22132229 PMCid:PMC3223236
Boyce, J.M., Havill, N. L, Otter, J. A., Adams N. M. Widespread environmental contamination associated with patients with diarrhea and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization of the gastrointestinal tract. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol.; 2007;28(10):1142-7. https://doi.org/10.1086/520737 PMid:17828690
Sampson, T., Esheyigba, A. P., & Baridam, S. S. Bacteriological Assessment of Toilet Seats in a Nigerian University. Journal of Advances in Microbiology; 2019, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.9734/jamb/2019/v19i430200
Andoh, L. A., Ahmed, S., Olsen, J. E., Obiri-Danso, K., Newman, M. J., Opintan, J. A., & Dalsgaard, A. Prevalence and characterization of Salmonella among humans in Ghana. Tropical Medicine and Health; 2017;45(1):1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-017-0043-z PMid:28194090 PMCid:PMC5301370
Ahmed, O. B., & Mashat, B. H. Efficacy of three disinfectant agents against contaminating pathogens isolated from public toilets. Global Advanced Research Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences; 2015;4:473-476.
Latif, M., Gilani, M., Usman, J., Munir, T., Mushtaq, M., & Babar, N. Lactose fermenting Salmonella Paratyphi A: A case report. Journal of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases; 2014;4(01):30-32. https://doi.org/10.5799/ahinjs.02.2014.01.0120
Sabra, S. M. M.Bacterial public health hazard in the public female restrooms at Taif, KSA. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research; 2013;14(1):63-68.
Barker J and Jones M. V. The potential spread of infection caused by aerosol contamination of surfaces after flushing a domestic toilet. Journal of Applied Microbiology; 2005;99:339-347. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2672.2005.02610.x PMid:16033465
Cheesbrough, M. District Laboratory Practice in tropical countries. Part 2 Cambridge, UK. Cambridge University Press. 2000, P64-400.
Giannini, M. A., Nance, D., & McCullers, J. A. Transmission of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. American Journal of Infection Control. 2009;505-506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2008.11.005 PMid:19243856 PMCid:PMC2965062
Tarr, P. I.Escherichia coli O157: H7: clinical, diagnostic, and epidemiological aspects of human infection. Clinical Infectious Diseases; 2015;20(1):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1093/clinids/20.1.1 PMid:7727633
Kehl, S. C. Role of the laboratory in the diagnosis of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infections. Journal of Clinical Microbiology; 2017;40(8):2711-2715. https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.40.8.2711-2715.2002 PMid:12149318 PMCid:PMC120634
Thomas, T., Galiani, D., & Brod, R. D. Gentamicin and other antibiotic toxicity. Ophthalmology Clinics of North America; 2011;14(4):611-624. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0896-1549(05)70261-3 PMid:11787741
Published
Abstract Display: 408 
PDF Downloads: 494 PDF Downloads: 56 How to Cite
Issue
Section
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
How to Cite
.