ABSTRACT

Public contact surfaces such as door handles frequently touched with hands can act as vehicles of disease transmission. The aim of this study was to isolate, identify bacteria contaminant on door handles of classrooms in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Urnudike. Samples from different door handles of lecture halls in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike were analyzed. Sterile swabs were firmly pressed on the various door handles. Samples collected were cultured and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Isolation and identification of bacteria was done using standard microbiological procedures. The following organisms were isolated; Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Proteus spp and Klebsiellaspp. The number and the percentage occurrence of the isolates were; Staphylococcus aureus 17 (28%), Escherichia coli 13 (22&), Salmonella spp 16 (27%), Proteus spp 5 (8%), and Klebsiella spp 9 (15%). They were identified based on their colonial morphology, gram staining, motility and biochemical tests. Antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin, gentamycin, amoxil, ofloxacin, streplomycin, chloramphenicol, ampiclox, augmentin were used for the antibiotic susceptibility test of the isolated bacteria. Most of the isolates were resistence to Amoxil and Ampiclox but Ciprofloxicin, Gentamycin, Oflaxacin, Streplornycin, Chloramphenicol, Augmentin were susceptible to the isolates. The type and close numbers of disease causing microbes reported in previous epidemiological studies were also found in this study. Appropriate hygiene measures to suppress any potential microbial contamination are therefore needed.