Hygienic Status of Foot Bath Places in Shanghai in 2009-2014

Objective  To comprehensively analyze the hygienic status of Shanghai foot bath places during 2009-2014, and to provide scientific evidence for the effective supervision of foot bath industry.

Method  From 2009 to 2014, a cluster random sampling method was used to select 6 or 7 foot bath places each year in administrative districts/counties of Shanghai. Monitoring items included indoor air, foot bath supplies, foot bath water, and hand hygiene of practitioners.

Result  The qualified rates of selected indoor air quality indicators in the foot bath places were ≥93.88%. The qualified rates of coliform and Staphylococcus aureus in the foot bath supplies were ≥ 96.28%, but that of the mould in slippers was ≤ 88.89%. The qualified rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in foot bath water were ≥ 97.06%. However, a lower qualified rate of mould was reported in 2010 (only 33.33%). The qualified rates of coliform and Staphylococcus aureus of practitioners' hands were ≥ 96.64%; the qualified rates of total bacterial count in recent years declined; and the qualified rates of mould were ≤ 91.38%.

Conclusion  In the selected foot bath places in Shanghai, indoor air quality is good in general, but the hygienic status of foot bath supplies, foot bath water, and practitioners' hands are not optimistic.