SURVEY OF PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH FIVE LEAFY VEGETABLES SOLD IN UMUAHIA MARKET

ABSTRACT

A survey of pathogenic bacteria associated with five leafy vegetables Atama (Hensia crinte), Editan (Bisuteria africand)., Nturukpa (Pteracarpus millred), Anara (Solanium qficana), and Njamja (Piper umbellatum) were collected from three different markets Orieugba, Ahiaeke and Ndioro in Umuahia metropolis of Nigeria. The result revealed the present of pathogenic bacteria at all the locations. The bacteria isolated and identified include Staphylococcus aureus (27.78%), E.coli (12.96%), Listeria spp (14.81%), Salmonella spp (7.41%), Shigella spp (5.56%), Bacillus spp (20.37%), and Streptococcus spp (11.11%). The presence of these bacteria could pose a health hazard to consumers of these leafy vegetables when they are consumed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgement ﾿ iv

Table of Content ﾿ v

List of tables ﾿ viii

List of figures ﾿ ix

Abstract ﾿ x

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 ﾿ INTRODUCTION ﾿ 1

1.1 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ﾿ 3

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 ﾿ LITERATURE REVIEW ﾿ 4

2.1 SOURCE OF CONTAMINATION OF VEGETABLES ﾿ 4

2.2 MICROBIAL FLORA OF VEGETABLES ﾿ 5

2.3 PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH CONTAMINATED VEGETABLES ﾿ 5

2.3.1 Salmonella species ﾿ 6

2.3.2 Staphylococcus aureus ﾿ 6

2.3.3 Shigella species ﾿ 7

2.3.4Escherichia coli ﾿ 7

2.4 FOOD BORNE DISEASE ﾿ 8

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 ﾿ MATERIALS AND METHOD ﾿ 9

3.1 STUDY AREA ﾿ 9

3.2 MATERIALS ﾿ 9

3.3 STERILIZATION OF MATERIALS ﾿ 9 

3.4 SAMPLE COLLECTION ﾿ 9

3.5 MEDIA PREPARATION ﾿ 10

3.6 SAMPLE PREPARATION ﾿ 10

3.7 BACTERIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS ﾿ 10

3.7.1 ISOLATION AND ENUMERATION OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES ﾿ 10

3.7.2 CHARACTERISATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIAL 

          ISOLATES ﾿ 10

3.7.3 IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE 

          BACTERIAL ISOLATES ﾿                                 ﾿ 10

3.7.4 GRAM STAIN ﾿ 11

3.8BIOCHEMICAL TESTS ﾿ 11

3.8.1 COAGULASE TEST ﾿ 11

3.8.2 OXIDASE TEST ﾿ 11

3.8.3 CATALASE TEST ﾿ 12

3.8.4 METHYL RED ﾿ 12

3.8.5 INDOLE TEST ﾿ 12

3.8.6 NITRATE REDUCTION TEST ﾿ 12

3.9 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ﾿ 12

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULTS ﾿ 13

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1 DISCUSSION ﾿ 25

5.2 CONCLUSION ﾿ 26

5.3 RECOMMENDATION ﾿ 26

REFERENCES ﾿ 27