Public restrooms are places where many people use them at the same time. Using public restrooms can pose a risk of infection from infectious diseases that can spread quickly in crowded spaces with close contact. To help you know what infectious diseases you may encounter when using public restrooms. And how to prevent infection in those situations. Here is some information to provide guidelines on how to use public restrooms safely:
For germs that are often found in bathrooms. Whether they are public bathrooms in our own homes, there are 8 types in total, and each type causes various diseases as follows:
- Escherichia Coli, or E. coli for short, is a type of bacteria in the fecal coliform (FCB) group found in the intestines of humans and some animals. When in the intestines, it helps digest the food we eat. However, if E. coli enters the body’s systems, it can cause serious infectious diseases such as urinary tract infections, meningitis, UFABET and bloodstream infections. Some strains of E. coli can cause diarrhea and may lead to acute renal failure.
- Salmonella: is a highly contagious pathogen that is found throughout nature and can live in animals as well as humans. It causes gastrointestinal illnesses, including vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and fever. For those with low immunity, it can spread to other organs and cause more severe illness.
- Clostridium Difficile: is a type of bacteria that has the ability to produce toxins that cause diarrhea and inflammation of the intestines. Which can be life-threatening.
- Mycobacteria, or Mycobacteria Avium, are bacteria that cause shortness of breath, chronic coughing. And are particularly dangerous in immunocompromised patients, including those with a genetic predisposition to lung and gastrointestinal diseases.
- Staphylococcus aureus: is a common bathroom pathogen that causes skin infections and produces toxins that cause food poisoning, which can result in diarrhea or vomiting.
- Klebsiella pneumoniae: is a vector for a variety of serious infectious diseases in various organs of the body, such as meningitis, lung infections, urinary tract infections, and bloodstream infections.
- HPV virus: Finally, HPV, a bathroom germ that is the main cause of cervical cancer, genital warts, and anal cancer.
- MRSA bacteria: MRSA stands for Methicilin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. It is a bacterium that has developed resistance to drugs, especially antibiotics, making it harder to treat than other bacterial infections. It also causes skin infections, which are bumps that may be red, swollen, painful, and may have pus or fluid draining from the skin. The bacteria can also cause pneumonia or other systemic infections.
Therefore, we should protect ourselves from these germs, such as:
- Personal items such as mobile phones should be kept in a bag when using the bathroom. Away from the toilet bowl or store in a tightly close container to reduce contamination from the bathroom to personal items.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before and after using the bathroom every time. Because touching various items in the bathroom contaminates your hands with germs from the bathroom more than other body parts.
- Avoid using hand dryers and use paper towels instead.
- Clean the bathroom and equipment regularly with appropriate cleaning products, such as products containing sodium hypochlorite.
- The lid should be close before flushing the toilet to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
- Reduce contamination from the bathroom to the organs that come into direct contact. With bathroom equipment, such as toilet seats, by using toilet paper every time. And importantly, we should all have good conscience when using the bathroom every time by helping to keep it clean.
Using public restrooms is essential in our daily lives. But it is important to be aware of and follow the preventive measures to prevent infectious diseases. So that we can use public restrooms safely and reduce the risk of infection. Remember that cleanliness and proper practice are important factors in reducing the spread of germs.