Antibiotics Susceptibility Profile of Bacteria Contaminants Isolated from Door Handles in a Tertiary Institution in Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

Unclean hands serve as a medium for the propagation of microorganisms from place to place and from person to
person(s). This study evaluated the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of pathogenic bacteria contamination of selected
door handles in Kaduna State University, as they serve as potential sources of infectious bacteria transfer that are of
clinical importance and contributing to morbidity and mortality within the community. A total of 60 samples were
randomly collected from 4 Faculties using moist sterile swab sticks. Isolation and identification of the bacteria were
carried out using conventional biochemical tests while antibiotics susceptibility test was carried out using modified
Kirby-Bauer test. The result showed that all the samples collected from door handles were contaminated with
microorganisms with mean total of bacteria viable count (cfu/ml) ranging from 3.3x103 to 7.6x107. The highest
occurring bacteria isolated on the door handle were S. aureus (29%), E. coli (25.8%), Salmonella typhi
(12.9%),Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9.7%) Bacillus spp. (9.7%), Klebsiella spp (6.5%) and Proteus vulgaris (6.5%)
respectively. The antibiotics susceptibility profile of the identified Gram positive isolates showed that S. aureus were
significantly susceptible to all the antibiotics tested except beta lactams while Bacillus spp. were resistant to only
Amoxicillin (100%), Ampiclox (100%) and Erythromycin (67%). Among the Gram negative isolates identified, E. coli
expressed varying resistant pattern but was susceptible to the fluoroquinolones. Klebsiella spp. and Salmonella typhi
were susceptible to other antibiotics tested but resistant to Amoxicillin (100% and 25%), Gentamycin (50% and
25%),Ciprofloxacin (50% and 25%) and Ofloxacin (50% and 50%) respectively. While P. vulgaris was resistant to
Pefloxacin (62.5%), Amoxicillin (62.5%), Cotrimoxazole (50%), Sparfloxacin and Streptomycin (37.5%),
Chloramphenicol and Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (25%) and Gentamicin (12.5%), but showed 100% susceptibility to
Ofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin. Ps. aeruginosa was observed to show resistance to Sparfloxacin and Amoxicillin (75%),
Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (33%), Ciprofloxacin and Gentamycin (25%) and significant percentage of the isolates had
MARI ≥ 0.2. This study shows that microorganisms that are of clinical importance could be isolated from door handles
in the evaluated area.