Aguzie Ifeanyi O, Obioha Ahaoma M, Unachukwu Chisom E, Okpasuo Onyekachi J, Anunobi Toochukwu J, Ugwu Kenneth O, Ubachukwu Patience O, Dibua Uju M E
Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Department of Science Laboratory Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria.
PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 May 31;4(5):e0002627. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002627. eCollection 2024.
Contaminated hands are one of the most common modes of microorganism transmission that are responsible for many associated infections in healthcare, food industries, and public places such as transportation parks. Public health approaches during COVID-19 pandemic have shown that hand hygiene practices and associated knowledge are critical measure to control the spread of infectious agent. Hence, assessment of commercial transport users' knowledge, belief and practices on hand hygiene, and potential contamination with infectious agents which is the aim of the study, aligns with general health concern of quantifying contamination risk levels to predict disease outbreaks. This study utilized a randomized sampling approach to select 10 frequently used commercial parks within two districts in the State: Enugu and Nsukka. The parameters analysed include a cross-sectional questionnaire survey, hand swab and hand washed samples collected from dominant hand of participants. A total of 600 participants responded to the questionnaire survey, while 100 participants' hand swabs were examined for microbial contamination. This study recorded a high prevalence of fungal (90.0%) and bacterial (87.0%) species; 20 species of fungus were identified with prevalence range of 1% to 14%; 21 bacterial species were isolated with prevalence range of 1% to 16%. These species were identified as either opportunistic, non-invasive, or pathogenic, which may constitute a health concern amongst immunocompromised individuals within the population. Aspergillus spp. (14%), was the most common fungal species that was exclusively found amongst Nsukka commercial users, while E. coli was the most prevalent isolated bacterial species amongst Nsukka (12%) and Enugu (20%) commercial park users. Prevalence of fungal contamination in Nsukka (94.0%; 47/50) and Enugu (86.0%; 43/50) were both high. Prevalence of bacterial contamination was higher in Enugu than Nsukka but not significantly (47[94.0%] vs. 40[80.0%], p = 0.583). A greater number of participants (99.3%) were aware of the importance of hand hygiene, however with low compliance rate aside "after using the toilet" (80%) and "before eating" (90%), other relevant hand washing and sanitizing practices were considered less important. With these observations, we can emphatically say that despite the COVID-19 scare, commercial park users within the sampled population do not efficiently practice quality hand wash and hygiene measures, hence, risking the widespread of infectious agents in situation of disease outbreak or among immunocompromised individuals.
受污染的双手是微生物传播的最常见途径之一，在医疗保健、食品行业以及交通枢纽等公共场所引发了许多相关感染。新冠疫情期间的公共卫生措施表明，手部卫生习惯及相关知识是控制传染源传播的关键措施。因此，本研究旨在评估商业交通使用者对手部卫生的知识、信念和行为，以及潜在的病原体污染情况，这与量化污染风险水平以预测疾病爆发的总体健康关注点相一致。本研究采用随机抽样方法，在该州的两个区（埃努古和恩苏卡）内选取了10个常用的商业交通枢纽。分析的参数包括横断面问卷调查、从参与者优势手采集的手部拭子和洗手样本。共有600名参与者回应了问卷调查，同时对100名参与者的手部拭子进行了微生物污染检测。本研究记录到真菌（90.0%）和细菌（87.0%）种类的高流行率；鉴定出20种真菌，流行率范围为1%至14%；分离出21种细菌，流行率范围为1%至16%。这些种类被鉴定为机会性、非侵袭性或致病性的，这可能对该人群中的免疫功能低下个体构成健康威胁。曲霉菌属（14%）是在恩苏卡商业交通使用者中唯一发现的最常见真菌种类，而大肠杆菌是在恩苏卡（12%）和埃努古（20%）商业交通枢纽使用者中分离出的最普遍细菌种类。恩苏卡（94.0%；47/50）和埃努古（86.0%；43/50）的真菌污染流行率都很高。埃努古的细菌污染流行率高于恩苏卡，但差异不显著（47[94.0%]对40[80.0%]，p = 0.583）。绝大多数参与者（99.3%）意识到手部卫生的重要性，然而，除了“如厕后”（80%）和 “进食前”（90%），其他相关的洗手和消毒行为被认为不太重要，依从率较低。基于这些观察结果，我们可以着重指出，尽管有新冠疫情的恐慌，但抽样人群中的商业交通枢纽使用者并未有效地践行高质量的洗手和卫生措施，因此，在疾病爆发或免疫功能低下个体中存在传染源广泛传播的风险。
