BACTERIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF STAIRCASE HANDRAILS IN THE HALLS OF RESIDENCE, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to assess the microbial colonization of staircase handrails within the Halls of residence, University of Benin. The bacteriological evaluation involved using swab sticks moistened with sterile saline to sample a defined dimension of the staircase handrails (30 cm2 ) and culture using the pour plate method. Cultural, morphological and biochemical tests were used for identification of the bacteria. Phenotypic virulence properties such as lipase and DNAse production were evaluated, and the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was employed for antibacterial sensitivity testing. This study revealed the heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from log10 2.86±0.14 cfu/cm2 to log10 2.53±0.01 cfu/cm2 (in week 1) and ranged fromlog10 2.88±0.24 cfu/cm2 to log10 2.63±0.01 cfu/cm2 (in week 2). The identified bacterial isolates were Escherichia coli, Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus, pumilus and Enterobacter aerogenes. Bacillus spp (76.47%) and Enterobacter aerogenes (11.76%) were the most frequently occurring bacterial isolates. The phenotypic virulence properties of the isolates showed that they were capable of DNA-ase and lipase production. Pseudomonas aerogenosa and Escherichia coli were susceptible to most antibiotics. The multiple antibiotic resistance index of the bacterial isolates ranged from 0.20 (Bacillus species) to 0.27 (Enterobacter aerogenes). The isolates were above the permissible limit of 0.2; thus, they are multidrug-resistant isolates of public health importance.