BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH NAILS OF STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITY OF BENIN CITY

ABSTRACT

Human fingernails contains a lot of potentially pathogenic bacteria, owing to the fact that human fingernail is actively taking part in all activities that will expose it to becoming the reservoir of pathogens. However, hygienic keeping of fingernails is negelected by many students.. This research carried out the bacteria microflora of students fingernail. A total of five sample was taken from students fingernails using sterile swab sticks. Each of the five swab sticks were soaked in 10ml of peptone water. Then they were shaken to make an even solution. Agar plates were incubated at the temperature of 370c for 24hours . Bacteria counts were carried out on each of them . Identification of bacteria isolates was done using standard microbiological guidelines such as morphological( size, shape, arrangement, staining property and spore formation) Colonial( texture, elevation, margin and colour) and biochemical( catalase, oxidase, citrate utilization, urease and indole production) characteristics. Bacteria isolates recovered were: Eschericia coli, Staphylococcus aeures, Micrococcus sp, Bacillus sp, Enterococcus sp, Citrobacter sp and Aeromonas sp. The antibiotic sensitivity profile was done using a routinely used antibiotics ( ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamycin, amoxicillin, levofloxacin and ampicillin-cloxacillin) was carried out using disc diffusion method. The total heterotrophic counts ranged from 1.1X 103CFU/CM2 -1.37X103 CFU/CM2 .Bacterial isolates shows varing sensitivity to antibacterial agent used.Apparently the bacteria isolated shows sensitivity to ciprofloxacin while the bacteria isolated showed resistance to ampicillin-cloxacillin with the exception of Aeromonas sp. This calls for concern of hygienic and frequent washing of fingernail to curtail the pathogens that may arise from it.