ESTIMATION OF AIR- BORNE BACTERIA SPECIES WITHIN POULTRY ENVIRONMENTS

ABSTRACT

Air pollution is a problem of most concern in buildings either housing or around poultry environments that operate intensively. Intensive poultry production, implying large densities of animals in small areas, is a significant source of air pollution which may constitute a health hazard to the birds, farmers and those living in proximity of the farm. Thousands of birds congested in an enclosed, warm and dusty environment is ideal for disease transmission. The aim of this study is the Bacterial analysis and examination of air in poultry houses and their environs across Ovia Northeast L.G.A in Benin City was carried out and the type of airborne microbes in the various locations identified. Nine (09) poultry environments located in the city were examined for air borne microbial load. The sedimentation technique using open petri-dishes containing Nutrient and MacConkey Agars were used to enumerate and isolate the bacteria load. Identification and characterization was done using standard cultural and biochemical tests. Antibiotic Susceptibility tests were carried out and ESBL tests were done by disk diffusion method. In the course of this research, it was discovered that the total heterotrophic count ranged from 34.05±1.53x102 cfu/m³ - 9.16±1.53x102 cfu/m³ for 30 mins and 9.17±1.73x102 cfu/m³ - 9.16±1.73x102 cfu/m³ for 1 hour and the total coliform count ranged from 5.57±1.53x102 cfu/m³- 0.07±0.00x102 cfu/m³ and 5.24±1.73x102 cfu/m³- 0.22±1.73x102 cfu/m³ in 30 minutes and 1 hour respectively.