Germs commonly found in toilet bowls include Hepatitis A, Fecal Coliform, Norwalk Virus, Salmonella and Shigella, among others. Hepatitis A was identified as the cause of recent outbreaks of illness in restaurants. Mild to severe illness was experienced by over 600 customers, which even resulted in the death of young children. Salmonella has been identified as the source of contagion in homes and restaurants where it has been found on chicken and other foods. The “sick ship” phenomenon, associated with luxury cruise ships on Mediterranean, Atlantic and Caribbean voyages, has been tied to Norwalk Virus outbreaks among passengers. Ships have been quarantined and denied landing rights in several countries while passengers and crew suffered on board.

The spread of SARS in an apartment building in Hong Kong in 2003 was attributed to faulty bathroom ventilation. While nobody is yet certain of how SARS is spread, it would not be prudent to avoid or delay improvement of ventilation systems in bathrooms, if it could help to reduce the possibility of spreading SARS and other contagious diseases.

A healthy guest checking into a hotel room at 6:00 in the evening, after an ill guest vacated the room at 8:00 in the morning runs the risk of exposure to toilet germs left behind. There are no guarantees that housekeepers with minimal training, pressured to quickly prepare rooms for new arrivals, have thoroughly cleaned bathroom counters or replaced unused but contaminated towels. A diner that uses a restaurant’s bathroom runs the risk of coming into contact with germs emitted from the toilet. Germs that have floated for 6 to 8 feet through the air to the counter top, the faucets, towels and door handles can be passed from fingers to food.

The Miracle Seat vacuums germs out of the toilet bowl during use. Closing the toilet lid before flushing, while the Miracle Seat is vacuuming out the toilet bowl, helps to contain the spread of germs through the air. Restaurants, hotels, offices, clinics, hospitals and assisted living facilities where customers, guests, employees, patients and visitors share bathroom facilities would benefit from use of the Miracle Seat.