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Faecal contamination on children's hands and environmental surfaces in primary schools in Leeds
E C Kaltenthaler1, A M Elsworth, M S Schweiger
1Department of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds.
Insights
Good hygiene knowledge in UK primary school children reduces faecal contamination on hands. Schools in deprived areas and those with past gastroenteritis outbreaks showed higher contamination levels, particularly on classroom carpets.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Microbiology
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Gastrointestinal diseases are a significant health concern in UK primary schools.
- Faecal contamination in schools poses a risk to children's health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate faecal indicator bacteria on children's hands and school surfaces.
- To assess the correlation between hygiene knowledge, socioeconomic status, and contamination levels.
Main Methods:
- Studied 20 primary schools in Leeds, UK.
- Used faecal streptococci as indicators of faecal contamination.
- Assessed children's hand hygiene knowledge and swabbed environmental surfaces.
Main Results:
- Children with better handwashing knowledge had less faecal contamination (RR 1.4).
- Schools in high deprivation areas exhibited higher hand contamination.
- Classroom carpets were the most frequently contaminated surfaces.
Conclusions:
- Hygiene education is crucial for reducing faecal contamination in primary schools.
- Socioeconomic factors and environmental hygiene practices influence bacterial presence.
- Targeted interventions may be needed for high-risk school environments.
Abstract:
Gastro-intestinal diseases continue to be a major health problem in primary schools in the UK. This study, which took place in 20 primary schools in the Leeds area, investigated the presence of faecal indicator bacteria on children's hands and environmental surfaces. Faecal streptococci were used as an indicator of faecal contamination. A handwashing knowledge score was developed for each child. Those children with good hygiene knowledge had less faecal contamination on their hands (relative risk: 1.4, 95% CI = 1.09-1.81, P = 0.005). Those schools with higher hand counts were more likely to have had a reported outbreak of gastroenteritis in the past. Values of the Townsend Deprivation Index, an indicator of deprivation, were compared with the hand results and those schools in high deprivation areas had higher hand counts. Of the swabs taken from surfaces in the toilet areas and classrooms, the carpets in the classrooms were the most frequently contaminated surfaces.