ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to determine microorganisms found in the Ear, Throat and Nose of Michael Okpara Unversity of Agriculture Students. A total of 30 swab samples of throat swab, nasal (nose) swab, and aural (ear) swab were collected aseptically using sterile Evepon swab sticks and the sample collected were properly labeled accordingly,. The swabs were immediately transported in sterile cotton plugged test tube to the Microbiology laboratory for further analysis. Throat swab were inoculated on chocolate agar plates, whereas nasal (nose) and ear swab were inoculated on Chocolate agar, Nutrient agar and MacConkey agar plates. All the plates were incubated for 24 hours aerobically with the exception of chocolate agar plate that was incubated in a candle jar. The plates were examined for the growth of bacteria and the colonies were identified by conventional methods. Haemolysis was studied on chocolate agar plates. Discrete and pure colonies of bacterial isolates were stored instantly in the refrigerator until they were required for identification tests and incubated at 37°C for 24hours. A total number of six (6) bacterial genera (Escherichia coil, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyo genes, Kiebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus vulgaris) were isolated from Ear, Nose and Throat of students in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State Growth was observed in all the samples (100%) as all cultures were positive with 41 isolates. Pseudomonas aeruginosa had (29%), Staphylococcus aureus (24.4%), Kiebsiella pneumoniae (19%), Escherichia coli (12%) and Proteus vulgaris (5%) . The ear swabs was positive in 26 (29.21%) male and 24(26.96%) in female. Throat swabs was positive in 13 (14.60%) male and 12 (13.48%) in female, while in nose swabs 6 (6.74%) was positive in male and 8 (8.98%) in female . The most predominant organism in distribution was Klebsiella pneumoniae (24%), followed by Streptococcus pyo genes (20%), Staphylococcus aureus (17%), Proteus vulgaris (17%), while the least in occurrence were Esche'ichia coil (12%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12%). (Escherichia coil, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pyo genes, Kiebsiella pneumonia and Proteus vulgaris are the leading Ear, Nose and Throat pathogens in Students of Micahel Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Most of the isolates showed high prevalent rates. However, the judicious use of antibiotics should be considered for the better treatment and to avoid the development of resistant organisms in Ear, Nose and Throat patients and thus recommended that Diagnosis of infection should not be made on clinical diagnosis only, it should be confirmed by laboratory diagnosis.