The Influence of Single versus Multisex Access on the Local Microflora of Commonly Used Surfaces at Butler University

Indianapolis, IN

Bathrooms are common areas that are known to harbor microorganisms, where indirect transfer of microbes between humans is possible. Most of the microorganisms on the surface are unnoticed do to their microscopic size, lack of color and/or smell, but these microbes could have major health implications, if humans are exposed to potentially pathogenic strains. Previous research has shown that hands harbor numerous microorganisms and female hands have a significantly greater diversity of microbes on their palms than men. In addition, the number of gender-neutral bathrooms, including the reclassification of current bathrooms, has increased in public spaces. However, studies relating to the differences between male, female and gender-neutral bathrooms have not been fully developed. There are several surfaces in most bathrooms, including door and stall handles, bathroom seats and sink/soap handles, that hands frequently contact. In this study, these surfaces were swabbed onto Luria-Bertani medium (LB), mannitol salt agar (MSA) and McConkey's Agar to quantify total, Gram positive, and Gram negative bacteria. Cultured colonies were gram stained for identification and confirmation. Overall, the interactions with microorganisms in high traffic areas are important to understand the microbiome contacts that we experience on a daily basis.