Emily Chan
Many of the bacteria were discovered to be drug-resistant superbugs, and they were mostly from patient toilets. Superbugs are strains of bacteria that have become resistant to various types of antibiotics.
This makes infections from superbugs difficult to treat and can result in more severe illnesses and increased hospitalizations.
Over the last decade, more than 37,000 people in the U.K. have died from hospital-acquired infections caused by superbugs.
In the U.S., superbugs infect more than two million people across the nation and kill at least 23,000 every year.
Some common superbugs are Staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to Methicillin, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is resistant to multiple drugs.
Overall, patient toilets were dirtier than staff toilets. Among both, the women’s bathrooms were cleaner.
The unisex toilets were the most contaminated. This may be because they are used more frequently or because they are used by more men. The female toilets were consistently cleaner than the male toilets.
Women appeared to be more likely to practice proper hygiene, such as washing their hands after using the bathroom.
The researchers also found that floors, tops of doors, and air vents did not contain as much bacteria as the main touch zones.
They believe the reason behind the lighter contamination in those areas is due to tiny water particles that are released into the air after flushing the toilet.
The researchers recommend putting toilet lids down before flushing, washing hands thoroughly, and opening windows whenever possible. They hope to conduct more studies in the future on how windows and more frequent bathroom cleanings will affect bacteria.
