ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT-BACTERIA FROM THE HANDS OF NON-CLINICAL STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

In 1847, Dr Semmelweis Ignac pointed to the link between infection and unclean hands as they play a major role in fecal–oral transmission of diseases. Hence this study was aimed at isolating and identifying multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens from hands of non-clinical students in University of Benin, using standard microbiological procedures and media. Results showed that the least heterotrophic bacterial count was 9.0×103 cfu/m3 and the highest was 1.20×105 cfu/m3 in sample F9 and F3 respectively. However, the highest count was 2.05×104 cfu/m3 . Bacteria isolated were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus sp. More so, S. aureus and B. cereus had the highest occurrence being present in nine (26%) of the samples while S. epidermidis least occurred, being present in only two (6%) of the samples. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacterial isolates revealed that E. coli and Streptococcus sp. were the most susceptible while S. epidermidis was the most resistant. Multiple antibiotic resistant index revealed that S. epidermidis and Micrococcus were within the permissible limit of 0.2 indicating no threat to public health while S. epidermidis and Micrococcus on the other hand were above the permissible limit with an MAR-index of 0.6 and 0.3 respectively. As a result of multiple drug resistance in some isolates, plasmid curing was carried out to eliminate resistance plasmid if present in S. epidermidis, Bacillus cereus and Micrococcus. After which only Bacillus cereus was cured. It was initially resistant to Gentamycin and Streptomycin while S. epidermidis and Micrococcus were not cured indicating the resistance is not plasmid borne. Results of this study has revealed the unsatisfactory level of the hand hygiene among non-clinical students of University of Benin with the presence of multidrug resistant pathogenic bacterial and as such, hand hygiene as well as good personal hygiene should be encouraged with necessary facilities made available.