ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH DOOR HANDLES OF WARDS, THEATRE, OFFICE AREAS AT FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE (FMC) UMUAHIA, ABIA STATE

ABSTRACT

The isolation and identification of bacteria from various door handles within the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State was carried out. A total of 15 samples were collected from the door handles of offices, wards and rooms of the hospital. The samples collected were inoculated into nutrient agar, mannitol salt agar and MacConkey agar. They were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours and the mean count of the bacteria isolated are ranged as follows: The total heterotrophic bacterial counts, 1.1 x 104cfu/cm2 to 9.0 x 104cfu/cm2, The Staphylococcus counts, 1.0 x 102cfu/cm2 to 6.0x102 cfu/cm2, coliform count, 2.1 x 102cfu/cm2 to 9.2 x 102cfu/cm2. The Bacteria isolated were Staphylococcusspecies, Bacillusspecies, Staphylococcus aureus,Escherichia coli,Klebsiellaspecies. The surfaces of the door handles were contaminated with bacteria of public health importance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgments ﾿ iv

Table of Contents ﾿ v

List of Tables ﾿ ix

List of Figures                                                                                    ﾿ x

Abstract ﾿ xi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ﾿

1.1 ﾿ Background studies ﾿ 3

1.2 ﾿ Aims and Objectives ﾿ 3

CHAPTER TWO:  LITERATURE REVIEW ﾿

2.1 ﾿ Bacteria Contaminants Associated with Hospital Door Handles ﾿ 7

2.1.1 ﾿ Klebsiellaspecies ﾿ 8

2.1.2 ﾿ Staphylococcus aureus ﾿ 8

2.1.3 ﾿ Escherichia coli ﾿ 9

2.1.4 ﾿ Bacillus subtilis ﾿ 10

2.1.5 ﾿ Pseudomonas aeruginosa ﾿ 11

2.1.6 ﾿ Streptococcus species ﾿ 11

2.1.7 ﾿ Proteus species ﾿ 12

2.2 ﾿ Nosocomial Infections ﾿ 12

2.2.1 ﾿ Sources of Nosocomial Infections ﾿ 13

2.2.2 ﾿ Types of Nosocomial Infections ﾿ 14

2.2.3 ﾿ Prevention and Control of Nosocomial Infections ﾿ 15

2.3 ﾿ The Effectiveness of Hand Hygiene and Hand Decontamination in 

Reducing the Risk of Nosocomial Infections. ﾿ 16 ﾿

CHAPTER THREE:  MATERIALS AND METHODS ﾿

3.1 ﾿ Collection of Samples ﾿ 18

3.2 ﾿ Preparation of Culture Media ﾿ 18

3.3 ﾿ Bacterial Inoculation and Isolation ﾿ 19

3.4 ﾿ Characterization And Identification of Isolates ﾿ 19

3.5 ﾿ Gram Staining ﾿ 19

3.6 ﾿ Biochemical Tests ﾿ 20

3.6.1 ﾿ Catalase Test ﾿ 20

3.6.2 ﾿ Indole Test ﾿ 20

3.6.3 ﾿ Citrate Test ﾿ 21

3.6.4 ﾿ Coagulase Test ﾿ 21

3.6.5 ﾿ Methyl Red ﾿ 21

3.6.6 ﾿ Sugar Fermentation ﾿ 22

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS ﾿

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ﾿

5.1 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 27

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 28

5.3 ﾿ Recommendations ﾿ 29

REFRENCES ﾿ 30

APPENDIX

LIST OF TABLES

Table                               Title    Page

1 ﾿ Mean Count of Bacterial Isolates ﾿         25

2 ﾿ Bacterial Isolates and Percentage Occurrence ﾿         26