Diaper type and fecal contamination in child day care

In this study, modern all-in-one, front closure, reusable cloth diapers were compared with single-use, disposable paper diapers for their effect on fecal contamination in the child day care environment. Four licensed child day care centers were surveyed from which 1722 bacterial samples were cultured. The frequency of isolation of fecal organisms ranged from a low of 12% of the total bacterial isolates at a center using cloth diapers to a high of 46% and 45%, respectively, obtained at a center using first paper and then cloth diapers. Diaper type, cloth versus paper, when the method of application and the handling are made comparable, showed no significant difference in the frequency or the intensity of fecal contamination in child day care centers, as measured in the play/sleep area, the diaper change area, or on the hands of the care givers and children. Future studies to control microbial contamination in child day care centers should focus on effective ways of reducing contamination of sink faucets, hands of the caregivers, and hands of the children.