Knowledge of Disease Transmission, Disinfection Practices and Fungal Contamination of Tools among Barbers in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Barbershops inherently pose significant public health risks through the use of sharp instruments and direct skin contact. This study assessed the knowledge of disease transmission among barbers, evaluated disinfection practices, and determined the level of fungal contamination of barbing tools in Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study employing stratified random sampling was conducted among 30 professional barbers across three strata of Awka metropolis. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to assess awareness and hygiene practices, while 120 swab samples were collected from clippers, combs, brushes and scissors before and after disinfection for mycological analysis using standard mycological procedures. Results showed that although 53.3% of barbers were aware that diseases could be transmitted through barbering tools, only 23.3% disinfected tools after each customer. Hygiene practices were inconsistent; while 46.7% barbers disinfect clippers before and after use, 53.3% cleaned accessories only once daily. All sampled tools (100%) were contaminated with fungi before disinfection while 42.5% remained contaminated after disinfection, despite the use of petrol, methylated spirit, heat, and combined heat-chemical method. The reduction in contamination after disinfection was statistically significant (McNemar's test, p < 0.001). Aspergillus niger (44.0%) was the predominant isolate, followed by Penicillium spp. (23.9%) and Candida albicans (19.3%). Brushes exhibited the highest post-disinfection contamination rate (60.0%), while clippers showed the lowest (30.0%). Highest number of fungal isolates (42.5%) was recorded within Ifite stratum, while Amaenyi stratum was least at 26.6%. No significant association was observed between fungal species and tool type (p = 0.802), nor between prevalence across study strata (p = 0.907). The study concludes that despite moderate awareness, a critical knowledge-practice gap exists among barbers in Awka, and highlights the persistence of fungal contamination despite routine disinfection practices.