Microorganism diversity and contamination risk in mosque rosaries and carpets.

BACKGROUND: Inevitably, the floors of mosques are contaminated with microorganisms, and the risk of pathogen transmission is probably high between the many visitors, but the issue has been infrequently studied. OBJECTIVES: Investigate microorganism variety and risk of contamination on commonly used carpets and rosaries (prayer beads). DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTINGS: Mosques. METHODS: This study was carried out in three different cities of Turkey in 2023, focusing on mosques located around hospitals. Forty mosques were included in the study and from each mosque 10 samples were collected from various parts of carpets and rosaries. The number of positive culture isolates were identified. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diversity and distribution of microorganisms isolated from mosque carpets and rosaries; methicillin-resistance rates in Staphylococci. SAMPLE SIZE: 400 samples. RESULTS: Growth was observed in 368 (92%) of 400 samples examined. The microorganisms isolated in the highest number were methicillin-susceptible coagulase negative Staphylococci (MSCoNS) (59.8%), Microcooccus (41%) and diphtheroids (31.3%). The rates of total growth (P=.001), including diphtheroids (P=.018), methicillin-resistant coagulase negative Staphylococci (P=.001), Bacillus spp. (P=.036) and Aspergillus spp. (P=.002) rates were significantly higher in the rosary samples than carpet samples. At mosques in Tokat, a province center, 4 samples were positive for Acinetobacter baumannii, two samples were positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and one sample for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and these were isolated from rosaries. 0.3% of Staphylococcus isolates were MRSA. CONCLUSION: As there is a high risk of contamination of carpets and prayer beads on the mosque floor with human flora, the use of appropriate hygiene practices is necessary. We also found some emerging bacteria in addition to the normal human flora. LIMITATIONS: Our study was conducted in three provinces. Further studies might cover a wider geography.

Dermatophytes isolated from the mosques in Tokat, Turkey.

Dermatophytes are a group of fungi that invade keratinized tissues such as the skin, hair and nails. The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of the potential causative agents of dermatophytosis in the mosque area in Tokat, Turkey. Thirty mosques were included in the study. A total of two hundred samples were collected from various parts of carpets and slippers in the mosques. Positive cultures were obtained in 144 samples (113 from carpets, 31 from slippers). Among the species isolated, Epidermophyton floccosum (n = 114) (79.2 %) was the most frequent, followed by Trichophyton mentographytes (n = 13) (9 %), Trichophyton tonsurans (n = 9) (6.3 %), Trichophyton rubrum (n = 5) (3.5 %), and Trichophyton verrucosum (n = 3) (2 %). Contamination of carpets and slippers with dermatophytes may act as a reservoir for transmission of these fungi. Educational health programs, appropriate treatment, and management of disease may provide to control of the spread of fungal organisms.