-
Antibiogram And Microbial Carriage Of Campus Shuttle Door Handles
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 2]
Page 2 of 2
-
-
-
In the past
60 years, antibiotics have been critical in achieving a dramatic rise in
life expectancy and significant improvements in public health
(El-Astal, 2005). However, disease-causing microbes have become
increasingly resistant to the antibiotics commonly in use (El-Astal,
2005). It has been clearly shown that the use of antimicrobials leads to
selection of resistant strains both in the individual and in the
community, and overuse or inappropriate use only increases this risk
(Reynold and Hurst, 2005). History suggests that microbes will never run
out of ways of developing resistance, but we may run out of effective
antimicrobials (Reynold and Hurst, 2005). The Gram negative enteric
bacilli are common causes of a wide variety of infections involving
diverse anatomic sites in both healthy and compromised hosts (El-Astal,
2005). In general, among adults, the incidence of infection due to these
agents increases with age. Thus, as the mean age of the population
increases, so will the number of these infections (Reynold and Hurst,
2005). Drug resistance is a serious medical problem. Progressive
increase in resistance to commonly used antibiotics with many
gram-negative bacilli being multidrug-resistant has been noticed
(Reynold and Hurst, 2005). The emergence of antibiotic resistance in the
management of infections is a serious public health issue, particularly
in the developing world where apart from high level of poverty and
ignorance, there is also high prevalence of fake and spurious drugs of
questionable quality in circulation (El-Astal, 2005). This has led to a
significant increase in morbidity.
There also appears to be a
significant lack of studies highlighting the susceptibility patterns of
locally prevalent microorganisms (El-Astal, 2005). Knowledge of
etiological agents of infections and their sensitivities to available
drugs is of immense value to the rational selection and use of
antimicrobial agents and to the development of appropriate prescribing
policies (El-Astal, 2005). Microbial transmission via several surfaces
such as automated teller machines, mobile phones, door handles and
currency has been extensively studied but the role of commercial buses
door handles in the dissemination of pathogenic microorganisms have not
been properly investigated. Therefore this research project will be
centered on the role of commercial buses door handle in the transmission
of pathogenic microorganism to human via hand contact and the
antibiotics pattern of the potential isolates.
1.1 The objectives of the study
The aim and objectives of this research are to:
(a) assess the role of campus shuttle door handles in dissemination of pathogenic microorganisms; and
(b) determine the antibiotics susceptibility and resistance pattern of the potential isolates.
1.2 Justification
Over
the years, different researches has been conducted to examine the role
of various surfaces, such as tables, computer key boards and mobile
phones on the carriage and dissemination of pathogenic infection, but
the role of door handles of commercial shuttle buses as a route of
microbial transmission has not been reported. Hence the need to assess
the carriage and transmission of microorganism by shuttle door handles.
The knowledge of this is expected to broaden our understanding of the
microbial carriage of the door handles and their antibiotics pattern.
This will help the University management to implement public health
preventive and control measure to forestall future outbreak of infection
that may result from this pathogenic microorganisms associated with the
shuttle door handles.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 2]
Page 2 of 2
-
-
ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The transmission of infection via fomites constitutes a major threat to public health especially in the developing countries. This study was carried out to investigate the microbial carriage and antibiotics pattern of bacteria on the door handles of campus shuttle operating in the Federal University of Technology Akure. Samples were randomly collected from a total of one hundred and fifty (150) door handles following standard laboratory techniques. Enumeration of the bacterial counts was carried ... Continue reading---
