BACTERIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF DOOR HANDLES IN HALL 1 UNIBEN HOSTEL

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed to assess the bacteriological quality of door handles in Uniben Hall 1 hostel to Identify the type of bacteria present and determine the potential health risks associated with these bacteria. Door handles are frequently touched surfaces that can harbor a wide range of microorganisms posing a risk to public health. The Uniben Hall 1 hostel, with its high occupancy rate and frequent usage, presents a unique environment for the spread of bacteria. A total of 10 door handles were randomly selected from Uniben Hall 1 hostel and swabbed using sterile cotton swabs. The swabs were then cultured on nutrient agar, MacConkey agar and incubated at 370 c for 24 hours. Bacterial isolates were identified using cultural characteristics, gram staining, biochemical tests and antibiotics susceptibility test. The varying colony counts observed across the different samples suggest a diverse bacterial load on the door handles, which are common points of contact. Some of the organisms identified include  Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and several Enterobacter and Klebsiella species. For the sugar test Staphylococcus aureus, tested positive for catalase and coagulase, while Bacillus sp exhibited urease and citrate utilization, further confirming its identification. the distribution of species across the two types of media suggests that Gram-negative organisms were more frequent on MacConkey agar, while Gram-positive bacteria dominated on nutrient agar. This study will contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the bacteriological assessment of frequently touched surfaces in public places, and provide insights into the importance of proper hygiene practices in preventing the spread of bacteria.