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Patterns of Fecal Coliform Contamination in Day‐Care Centers
Author(s) -
Holaday Bonnie,
Pantell Robert,
Lewis Catherine,
Gilliss Catherine L.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1446.1990.tb00640.x
Subject(s) - contamination , feces , fecal coliform , hand washing , day care center , medicine , environmental health , washing hands , toilet , day care , hygiene , socioeconomic status , child care , infection rate , transmission (telecommunications) , toxicology , pediatrics , biology , nursing , surgery , population , ecology , water quality , pathology , electrical engineering , engineering
During a six‐month period, on four separate occasions, six licensed day‐care centers had cultures taken from environmental surfaces as well as the hands of children and teachers. Fecal coliforms were recovered from 64 (9.5%) of the 675 surfaces sampled. Recovery rate was not influenced by a center's socioeconomic status, time of year, or presence of children who were not toilet trained. Recovery rates did differ significantly in different areas, with the kitchen showing a relatively high recovery rate (19%), and toys and toilets showing remarkably low rates (2% and 4%). Centers with formal hand‐washing procedures had lower recovery rates than those without such practices. We also demonstrated a high recovery rate from hands of staff (16%); 6% of children had positive cultures. Contamination of hands and classroom objects is a potential source for the transmission of enteric diseases for children in day‐care centers. A program directed at reducing contamination would be important in preventing the spread of diarrheal illness.