EFFECTIVENESS OF HANDWASHING WITH TWO SELECTED SOAPS ON COLIFORM REDUCTION AMONG PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN IBADAN NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Improperly washed hands can serve as a medium for transmission of pathogens. Handwashing with soap is an important method of reducing bacterial infections. In Nigeria, studies have been carried out on handwashing with soap but few have compared the effectiveness of non-medicated toilet and local black soaps. This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of handwashing with Non-medicated Toilet Soap (NTS) and a Local Black Soap (LBS) in reducing coliform among Public Primary School (PPS) pupils in lbadan North Local Government Area (IBNLGA),Nigeria. A quasi experimental design was adopted for the study from the eleven existing Local Government Areas in lbadan, IBNLGA was randomly selected. A public primary school was randomly selected out of the seven schools with the highest population in IBNLGA. Primary four to six were purposively selected and 45 pupils were proportionally allocated. Pupils (participants) were selected through simple random sampling and assigned to three groups of 15 pupils each. Group A: washed with Sterilised Water (SW) and NTS, group B with SW and LBS while group C (control) washed with SW only. In each group, swabbed palm samples were obtained before and after handwashing. In addition, samples of water used for handwashing were taken. The samples were analysed for total coliform using the standard method by American Public Health Association. Total Coliform Counts (TCC) were log (log₁₀) transformed and analysed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA at p=0.05. Means (log₁₀ ) of TCC (cfu/ml) before and after handwashing were: group A (4.31±0.27 and 3.30±0.36), group B (4.39±0.41 and 3.23±0.35), and group C (4.32 ±0.22 and 3.92±0.62). There was significant reduction in TCC (cfu/ml) using swab stick samples before and after handwashing in groups A and B but no significant reduction in group C. Mean (log₁₀ ) percentage reduction in TCC (cfu/ml) before and after handwashing was highest in group B: 26.4% followed by group A: 23.6% and group C: 9.3%. Means (log₁₀ ) of TCC (MPN/100ml) in the handwash samples was: 0.79±0.24 for group A. 0.75±0.27 for group B and 0.82±0.36 for group C. There were no significant reductions in TCC (MPN/100ml) in the hand wash samples across groups A, B, and C after handwashing. Mean (log₁₀) percentage reduction in TCC (MPN/100ml) for LBS (8.5%) was higher than that of NTS (3.7%) in the handwash samples. The reduction in dominant coliform bacteria isolated from the various groups respectively was highest in group B: Aeromonas spp: (100.0% to 53.3%), Enterobacter spp: (80.0% to 46.7%) and Klebsiella spp (60.0% to 13.3%) followed by group A: Aeromonas spp: (86.7% to 66.7%), Enterobacter spp,(86.7% to 60.0%) and Klebsiella spp: 40.0% to 26.7%), and group C; Aeromonas spp: (100.0% to 86.7%). Enterobacter spp.: (80.0% to 73.3%) and Klebsiella spp; (46.7% to 33.3%). Handwashing with local black soap was more effective than non-medicated toilet soap in reducing the number of total coliform. Handwashing with local Black soap should be promoted in schools.