Microbiological safety of the washrooms in the main building of CSIR-Food Research Institute

Abstract

Public washrooms are contaminated with different kinds of bacterial from human secretions ranging from saliva, skin, urine, fecal matter etc. Unfortunately their usage is unavoidable as long as one is outside the home. The aim of this study therefore was to determine the level of bacterial contamination of the washrooms in CSIR–Food Research Institute and their microbiological safety. Swabs of surfaces at the washrooms sited in the main building of CSIR - Food Research Institute were collected with sterile swab sticks moistened with Salt Peptone Solution (SPS). The swab samples were analyzed for total aerobic mesophiles, coliforms, E.coli, Enterococcus spp, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi. The washrooms at the directorate recorded the lowest microbial counts of aerobic mesophiles from this study with no counts of any pathogen on all surfaces swabbed followed by the male and female washrooms on the second floor. The other floors recorded different levels of aerobic mesophiles as well as pathogens such as E.coli, Enterococcus spp, Staphylococcus aureus. Quality soap, detergents and disinfectants should be provided for the cleaning of these washrooms every time and users of the washrooms should see thorough hand washing as the first line of defense in preventing the spread of diseases associated with these bacterial and pathogens found in the washroom. Soap for hand washing therefore ought to be provided by CSIR-Food Research Institute always