Characterization of Micro-organisms Isolated from Bathroom Walls in a Nigerian University

Background: Micro-organisms are found occurring in both indoor and outdoor environments. Restrooms and bathrooms are places where people go to relieve themselves as well as clean up, posing the possibility of these places being prone to microbial contamination.

Methods: A total of twenty public and private residence bathrooms used by students in a Nigerian university were screened for the occurrence of bacterial contamination. Bathroom walls were swabbed and samples analysed for microbial occurrence using different biological growth media. Organisms isolated were characterized morphologically and further identified using some biochemical tests including catalase, methyl red, Voges Proskauer, oxidase, citrate utilization and urease activity tests.

Results: Results from the study showed different gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria isolated including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficle and Klebsiella pneumoniae from both public and private bathrooms of students, with highest percentage incidence recorded for Staphylococcus aureus 15.6% and 12.9% in public and private bathrooms respectively.

Conclusion: The little difference in microbial contamination between private and public bathrooms observed in the study shows that maintaining microbial free bathrooms is not only dependent on the number of users but their personal hygiene practice meaning that proper and regular cleaning can ensure an almost microbial free bathrooms in public institutions.