Isolation and Identification of Bacterial and Fungal Isolates from Door Handles in University of Benin Male and Female Post-Graduate Hostels

The hands are the chief organs for physical manipulation of the environment. They serve as a medium for the propagation of microorganisms from place to place and from person to person. Human hands usually harbour microorganisms both as part of the body’s normal flora as well as transient microorganisms contracted from the environment. This study was aimed at isolating and identifying bacterial and fungal isolates from door handles in University of Benin male and female post-graduate hostels. Samples from door handles were subjected to standard microbiological analysis such as culturing, enumeration, Gram staining, biochemical test, lactophenol cotton blue assay and multiple antibiotic resistance tests. The bacterial count ranged from 6.94±2.52ax102 cfu/m2 to 13.54±0.72ax102cfu/m2 while the highest fungal count in this study was 10.35±0.79a x 102cfu/cm2 the across the female and male hostels. The World Health Organization (WHO) acceptable level of fungal contamination is 108cfu/g or ml of which the amount present in the door handle surface was found to be in between the range. The results of this present study showed that Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger, Mucor mucedo, Yeast sp and Penicillium notatum were present on the door handle surfaces. This study also shows that there were more bacterial population in male hostels compared to the female hostels from both Ugbowo and Ekenwan campus indicating that individual door handles are not identical with respect to their design, usage patterns, surface materials, and environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, moisture, and ventilation rates) and any of these factors could influence the composition of bacterial communities found on door handle surfaces. S. aureus and E. coli demonstrated a very clear β hemolysis in the form of clearance zone along the streak on blood agar plate within 24 hours of incubation at room temperature. E. coli was also resistant to more than two (2) tested antibiotics. It is imperative that the culture of hand-washing be imbibed as this would reduce the chances of getting infections from the microorganisms a door user would be exposed to. Proper sanitation of the door surfaces should be constantly carried out and maintained.