The micro-organisms of concern in the washrooms and the toilets would be those arising from faecal contamination. Human faeces are loaded with a multiplicity of microbial flora. More than 100 distinct types of micro-organisms occur regularly in the normal faecal flora. There are an estimated 100,000,000,000 bacteria / gram of faeces! Among these, the presence of a group of bacteria called the ‘Coliform bacilli - especially Escherichia coli is a sure indicator of faecal contamination.
In addition to these there are others with the potential to cause diseases (Pathogenic). Some such pathogenic microbes, which get excreted include:
- Salmonella (typhoid)
- Shigella (bacillary dysentery)
- Vibrios (Cholera)
- Entamoeba histolytica (Amoebic dysentery)
- Giardia lamblia (diarrhoeal disease -Giardiasis)
- Enterobius vermicularis (pin worm)
- Hepatitis A & E viruses (Jaundice)
- Rotaviruses and other viruses causing diarrhoea
When pathogenic micro-organisms are present along with those of faecal origin, disease is not far off in the susceptible individual.
These pathogens contaminate our hands, and in the absence of good hand hygiene, they reach our mouth (or those of others too!) through many ways. It may be through eating or water source, food or cooking utensils being contaminated through hands not adequately cleaned after toilet use, or while cleaning children after they have defaecated. This could include even changing nappies. Thus start the ‘oral-faecal’ route of disease transmission. The symptoms of the disease would depend on the microbe ingested.
Microbes generally thrive in wet or moist environments. Water used quite liberally, more to clean the feet (an interesting Indian tradition), than the hands, ensures that the floor, sink and surrounding areas are mostly wet. Poor hygiene by way of splashing urine on the floors, toilet seats or soiling the hands also assists microbial survival. Urine is a good medium for the multiplication of bacteria.
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