Bacterial Contamination Of School Bags Carried By Male And Female Students In A Tertiary Institution In Umuahia, Abia State

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine rate of bacterial contamination of bags of students of MOUAU. The study was carried out in Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike among male and female students. A total of one hundred (100) samples were collected from male and female students of MOUAU. The samples were screened for bacteria by Standard Microbiological methods.. From the result of the analysis Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated bacteria in both male and female bags at 18 (52.0%) male, 22 (41.5%) female followed by Bacillus 10 (29.4%) male and 13 (24.5%) female. It was therefore recommended that students should use good sanitizers to wash their bags to avoid easy transfer of the contamination of bacteria and the school should build more halls to reduce overcrowding of student and thereby reducing the rate of bacterial contamination.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ﾿ i

Declaration ﾿ ii

Certification ﾿ iii

Dedication ﾿ iv

Acknowledgement ﾿ v

List of Tables ﾿ vi

Table of Contents ﾿ vii

Abstract ﾿ ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 ﾿ Introduction ﾿ 1

1.1 ﾿ Background of the Study ﾿ 1

1.2 ﾿ Statement of the Problem ﾿ 2

1.3 ﾿ Objective of the Study ﾿ 3

1.4 ﾿ Research Questions ﾿ 3

1.5 ﾿ Scope of Study ﾿ 4

1.6 ﾿ Significance of Study ﾿ 4

1.7 ﾿ Limitations of the Study ﾿ 4

1.8 ﾿ Key Definition of Terms ﾿ 5

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 ﾿ Literature Review ﾿ 6

2.1.1 ﾿ Structure ﾿ 6

2.1.2 ﾿ Classification ﾿ 7

2.1.3 ﾿ Reproduction ﾿ 9

2.2 ﾿ Bacteria in Human Health and Disease ﾿ 10

2.2.1 ﾿ Antibiotic resistance ﾿ 11

2.3 ﾿ Effects of Bacteria on Their Human Host ﾿ 11

2.3.1 ﾿ Bacteria affect host-cell pathways ﾿ 12

2.3.2 ﾿ Bacteria Affect Human Genes and Gene Expression ﾿ 13

2.4 ﾿ Types of Contamination ﾿ 15

2.4.1 ﾿ The Effects of Contamination ﾿ 16

2.5 ﾿ Contamination Control ﾿ 16

2.5.1 ﾿ Function ﾿ 16

2.5.2 ﾿ Usage ﾿ 17

2.5.3 ﾿ Types of contamination control ﾿ 18

2.6 ﾿ Testing of Bacteria ﾿ 21

2.6.1 ﾿ Streak Plate Procedure: Isolation of Bacterial Colonies Using the Quadrant Method ﾿ 21

2.6.2. ﾿ Pour Plate Procedure: Enumeration of Bacterial Cells in a Mixed Sample ﾿ 25

2.6.3. Spread Plate Procedure: Formation of Discrete Bacterial Colonies for Plate Counts, Enrichment, Selection, or Screening ﾿ 26

CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 ﾿ Collection of Samples ﾿ 31

3.2 ﾿ Media Preparation ﾿ 31

3.3 ﾿ Isolation, Characterization and Identification of Bacterial Isolates ﾿ 31

3.4 ﾿ Gram Reaction ﾿ 32

3.5 ﾿ Endospore Formation Stain ﾿ 33

3.6 ﾿ Biochemical Test ﾿ 33

3.7 ﾿ Indole Test ﾿ 33

3.8 ﾿ Citrate Utilization Test ﾿ 34

3.9 ﾿ Coagulase Test ﾿ 35

3.10 ﾿ Catalase Test ﾿ 36

3.11 ﾿ Urease Test ﾿ 36

3.12 ﾿ Triple Sugar Ion Test (TSI) ﾿ 37

3.13 ﾿ Antibiotics Susceptibility ﾿ 38

CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS 

4.1 ﾿ Results ﾿ 39

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 45

5.2 ﾿ Recommendations ﾿ 45

REFERENCES