ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ENTEROBACTERIA IN SOCIAL BATHROOMS Vanessa Lie Takano, Tatiana Sfalcin Silva, Priscila Reina Siliano

Abstract

The Enterobacteriaceae family includes a group of bacteria that inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and other animals. Some species are permanently resistant, while others are present only as disease-causing agents. This study was conducted to determine which types of Enterobacteriaceae are present in toilets, specifically in the taps and flushes of men's and women's restrooms. A total of 184 samples were collected, 72 from taps and 112 from flushes. Of the 72 taps analyzed, 24 were contaminated (33.3%) by 35 different colonies, and of the 112 flushes analyzed, only one was contaminated (0.9%) by a colony. Of the contaminants found in the taps, a higher incidence of Enterobacter (8.57%) was observed, followed by Escherichia coli (7.62%), Pseudomonas (3.81%), Proteus (2.86%), Citrobacter (1.90%), Serratia (1.90%), Shigella (0.95%) and 5.71% of unidentified colonies. This report is interesting so that people can observe that environments can contain contamination by microorganisms, including pathogens, and that the important thing is to constantly sanitize fomites and hands to avoid cross-contamination. It is worth remembering that the present study only researched enterobacteria, but other bacteria, as well as viruses, protozoa and fungi, can be in contact with surfaces, presenting an important contaminating potential.