ABSTRACT

Bath towels are woven pieces of fabric either cotton or cotton-polyester that are used to absorb moisture on the body after bathing. Dirty towels can carry a huge variety of microbes, and they have been linked to spreading infectious disease. Towels are a prime location for germs, and they can be picked up by contact with wet skin. The aim of this research work is to isolate, identify, and evaluate the pathogenicity and antibiotics sensitivity pattern of bacterial contaminations from individual bath towels of students from the University of Benin, Ugbowo Benin City and their harmful consequence to public health. Bath towels have the ability to retain microbes, moist and warm environment offers microbes a favorable place to grow and survive.  Used towels from BDPA an off campus residence for students in the University of Benin Ugbowo campus, were assessed to determine their bacterial concentration. A total of twenty-nine (29) used towels were sampled. Identification and characterization of bacterial isolates was carried out using standard cultural, morphological and biochemical methods. Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus and Shigella sp. were identified as contaminants in the towel samples analyzed. The number of colony counts across all samples ranged from (55.5±7.5 to 18±3) Log₁₀cfu/cm². Staphyloccus aureus showed the highest resistance to antibiotics, resisting almost all the antibiotics it was tested against. Other isolates showed varying resistance patterns to the test antibiotics. Staphyloccus aureus showed the highest Multi Resistance Antibiotics Index (MARI) at 0.88. Micrococcus luteus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa both had a MARI of 0.77. The lowest MARI was recorded by Shigella sp.at 0.55.  The high prevalence of diverse pathogenic bacteria is worrisome considering the epidemiology and clinical importance of the isolates, compounded by antimicrobial resistance and high mortality rate. Hence, there is need to enforce and improve hygiene practice among students. Frequent washing of towels and use of antiseptics, medicated soaps and disinfectants in bathing and washing water is hereby canvassed.