Dataset Information

The public washroom - friend or foe? An observational study of washroom cleanliness combined with microbiological investigation of hand hygiene facilities.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Many people use handwashing and hand-drying facilities in public washrooms under the impression that these amenities are hygienic. However, such facilities may be potential sites for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to examine the hygiene facilities provided including handwashing and hand-drying facilities in public washrooms. Total bacterial counts and species identification were determined for hand-drying facilities. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were performed.

Methods

The bacterial contamination levels of 55 public washrooms ranging in category from low class communities to high end establishments, were examined. The hygienic environment and facilities of the washrooms were analysed using an electronic checklist to facilitate immediate data entry. Pre-moistened sterile swabs were used to collect samples from areas around the outlet of paper towel dispensers, air outlet of air dryers, exit door handles and paper towels in the washrooms. Total bacterial counts were performed and isolates identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion.

Results

The high and middle-income categories washrooms generally had cleaner facilities and environment followed by those in low categories. Fifty-two bacterial species were identified from the 55 investigated washrooms. Over 97% of the pathogenic Staphylococcus spp. tested were resistant to at least one first-line antimicrobial therapeutic agent, including penicillin, cefoxitin, erythromycin, co-trimoxazole, clindamycin and gentamicin, and 22.6% demonstrated co-resistance to at least three antimicrobial agents, with co-resistance to penicillin, erythromycin and clindamycin being the most common.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that hand-drying facilities in public washrooms can act as reservoirs of drug-resistant bacteria. The importance of frequent cleaning and maintenance of public washrooms to promote safe hand hygiene practices for the public are emphasised.

SUBMITTER: Suen LKP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6396476 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

The public washroom - friend or foe? An observational study of washroom cleanliness combined with microbiological investigation of hand hygiene facilities.

Suen Lorna K P LKP Siu Gilman K H GKH Guo Yue Ping YP Yeung Simon K W SKW Lo Kiki Y K KYK O'Donoghue Margaret M

Antimicrobial resistance and infection control 20190228

<h4>Background</h4>Many people use handwashing and hand-drying facilities in public washrooms under the impression that these amenities are hygienic. However, such facilities may be potential sites for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria. This study aimed to examine the hygiene facilities provided including handwashing and hand-drying facilities in public washrooms. Total bacterial counts and species identification were determined for hand-drying facilities. Antimicrobial susceptibilities we ...[more]

PMID: 30867901

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundA higher chemotherapy completion rate is associated with better outcomes including treatment efficacy and overall survival. Exercise may have the potential to improve relative dose intensity (RDI) by reducing the frequency and severity of chemotherapy-related toxicities. We examined the association between exercise adherence and RDI and possible clinical- and health-related fitness predictors of RDI.MethodsChemotherapy records were extracted from the electronic medical record for patients enrolled in the ENACT trial (n = 105). Chemotherapy completion was assessed using average RDI. A threshold of 85% was established for "high" versus "low" RDI. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the associations between the clinical- and health-related fitness predictors of RDI.ResultsPatients with breast cancer (BC) had a significantly higher average RDI (89.8% ± 17.6%) compared with gastrointestinal cancer (GI) (76.8% ± 20.9%, p = 0.004) and pancreatic cancer (PC) (65.2% ± 20.1%, p < 0.001). Only 25% of BC patents required a dose reduction compared to 56.3% of GI and 86.4% of PC patients. Cancer site was significantly associated with RDI. Compared with BC, patients with GI (β = -0.12, p = 0.03) and PC (β = -0.22, p = 0.006) achieved significantly lower RDI. Every 2.72 unit increase in overall exercise adherence led to a significant 7% decrease in RDI (p = 0.001) in GI patients. Metastatic GI patients had a 15% RDI increase for every 2.72 unit increase in exercise adherence (p = 0.04).ConclusionExercise is a supportive therapy that has potential to enhance chemotherapy tolerance and completion. The relationship between exercise adherence and RDI is influenced by factor such as cancer site and treatment type. Special attention must be paid to how exercise is prescribed to ensure that exercise adherence does not negatively affect RDI. Cancer site, exercise dosage, and multimodal interventions to address toxicities are key areas identified for future research.

Dataset Information

The public washroom - friend or foe? An observational study of washroom cleanliness combined with microbiological investigation of hand hygiene facilities.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

The public washroom - friend or foe? An observational study of washroom cleanliness combined with microbiological investigation of hand hygiene facilities.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets