ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to isolate and identify the microbial pathogens in the internal surface of ladies handbags, in Umuahia, Abia State. One hundred and forty samples were collected from different groups of individuals which includes: Nurses, Workers, students and market women. Also the handbags from which the samples were collected includes: Leather, Cotton, Nylon and Polyester and velvet handbags. The bags were swabbed with sterile swab sticks, inoculated on different types of culture media and incubated at 370c for 24 hours.  Growth was observed after 24 hours. Gram stain and biochemical reactions were used in the identification of bacteria. In the course of the study, the following bacteria were isolated from the internal surface of the handbags Coagulase Negative Staphylococci 6 (2.6%), Esherichia coli 36(15.7%), Klebsiella spp 14 (6.1%), Staphylococcus aureus 49 (21.3%), Bacillus spp 48 (20.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa   5 (2.2%), Proteus spp 5 (2.2%), Streptococcus spp 51 (22.2%), Salmonella spp 3 (1.3%) and Enterococcus faecalis 13 (5.7%). Sensitivity test was carried out by disc diffusion technique and most of the isolates were sensitive to levofloxacin, gentamicin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and resistant to ampiclox, chloramphenicol, erythromycin. The spread of microorganism and prevention of nosocomial and community acquired infection from handbags can be minimized by washing and sun drying of the internal covering of the handbags, proper hand hygiene, as well as disinfection of the medical instrument like stethoscope, pens, mobile phones that are sometimes kept in handbags.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of Contents v

List of Tables viii

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the study 3

1.2 Rationale of the study 3

1.3 Aims and objectives of the study 3

1.4 Significance of the study 4

1.5 Limitation of the study 4

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature review 5

2.1 Various bacteria contaminants associated with female handbags. 7

2.1.1 Coagulase negative Staphylococci 7

2.1.2 Klebsiella spp 8

2.1.3 Bacillus spp 8

2.1.4 Pseudomonas aeruginosa 9

2.1.5 Proteus spp 9

2.1.6 Staphylococcus aureus 9

2.1.7 Escherichia coli 10

2.2 Handbags and hand hygiene 11

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and method 13

3.1 Study area 13

3.2 Materials 13

3.3 Sample collection 13

3.4 Preparation of culture media 14

3.5 Bacteria inoculation 14

3.6 Colony counting 14

3.7 Isolation and identification of bacteria isolate 14

3.7.1 Gram stain 15

3.7.2 Catalase test 15

3.7.3 Coagulase test 15

3.7.4 Citrate test 16

3.7.5 Motility, indole, urease test (miu) 16

3.7.6 Triple sugar iron (tsi) test. 16

 3.7.7 Antibiotic susceptibility testing 17

3.7.8 Oxidase test 18

 3.7.9 Data analysis 18

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Results 19

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Discussion 32

5.1 Conclusion 34

5.2 Recommendation 34

REFERENCES 35