Prevalence of Bacterial Contamination on Handkerchiefs Used by Pre-School Children in Bungoma County, Kenya.

INTRODUCTION; In Kenya, and specifically Bungoma County, sanitation challenges and limited hygiene awareness contribute to bacterial transmission through reused handkerchiefs, elevating infection risks among schoolchildren. WASH programmes have been reinforced but little effort has been made to identify the types and prevalence of bacteria on used handkerchiefs of pre-primary school children. This study examined bacterial contamination of used handkerchiefs among pre-school children in Bungoma County, Kenya, using a cross-sectional quantitative design. METHODS; From Cochrans’formular, a sample of 248 children was selected using stratified random sampling. Swabbing of used handkerchiefs focusing on high-contact nasal and oral regions was done. Samples were transported under cold chain conditions to Kibabii University Microbiology Laboratory. Laboratory analysis included serial dilution up to 10^-3 and culture on appropriate media. Incubation was done at 37°C for 24 hours. Colony forming units (CFU/mL) were quantified to determine bacterial load. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22. RESULTS; Results showed universal contamination (100%) of all sampled handkerchiefs. The bacterial profile included both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms, suggesting multiple contamination sources. The mean bacterial load was 57,370.97 CFU/mL, reflecting consistently high microbial burden across samples. CONCLUSION; These findings indicate that poor hand and handkerchief hygiene practices contribute to microbial proliferation and contamination among young children It is recommended that schools and parents strengthen personal hygiene education practices among prescholars.