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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : December 2, 2014 4:36 PM IST
A recent study carried out at San Diego State University in California measured the quantity of microbial cells on the floors, toilet seats and soap dispensers. The research was published online in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
What spreads the microbes in the toilets?
Rapid flushing of water causes the dispersal of the microbes in the air but, these microbes don t survive for long in cold, dry and oxygen rich environments, co author Jack A. Gilbert informed. He also said that they expected the microorganisms that mostly thrive on the human skin to be abundant on the floor. (Read: 88% Indians find toilets at railway stations the dirtiest)
Are men s toilets healthier?
A key criterion of healthy or unhealthy might be the presence or relative abundance of pathogens. Restrooms are not necessarily unhealthy but classifying them as healthy would not necessarily be accurate, Gilbert noted.
Samples isolated from women s restroom proved the abundance of vaginal microbes on the toilet seats, where as the men s toilet seats are more thronged with fecal bacteria. Out of the cultured communities, the majority of the organisms belonged to the outdoor and skin associated bacteria, whereas only 0 15 percent was represented by fecal bacteria. (Read: When will Indian women have public toilets that aren t dirty and unhygienic?)
Will healthier restrooms be a reality in the near future?
Gilbert said that research would help in designing better and healthier restrooms for humans.
With inputs from IANS
Photo source: Getty images
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