Abstract

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Personal effects (PEs) including phones, laptops and bags globally are a necessary part of our everyday lives. These PEs are often carried or worn by individuals for numerous purposes, globally. However, the increasing risk of microbial contamination and the presence of antibiotic-resistant strains on these devices are of public health significance. Using standard microbiological procedures, this study examined the microbial occurrence and contamination of undergraduate students’ mobile phones, laptops and bags and their resistant profile to conventional antibiotics. This cross-sectional study, carried out between April and May 2023, was performed on 65 swab samples collected from surfaces of mobile phones (n =25), laptops (n =20) and handbags (n = 20) of students attending the Microbiology Laboratory. Of the bacteria isolated, 39.2% were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis (21.4%), Escherichia coli (7.1%), Bacillus subtilis (14.2%), Klebsiella pnuemoniae (7.1%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.0%). Fungal isolates included; Fusarium sp. (25.0%), Aspergillus terreus (25.0%), Aspergillus flavus (20.0%), and Aspergillus niger (30.0). Fifty four percent (54.0%) of the isolates produced complete hemolysis on blood agar, 7.1% showed partial hemolysis and 39.2% had no hemolysis at all. Antibiogram revealed an increased resistance of Gram positive bacteria to amoxicillin (38.1%) and levofloxacin (33.4%). Higher resistance was observed in gram negative bacteria to cephalothin (85.8%), ampicloxacilin (85.8%), augmentin (71.5%) and trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (71.5%). Findings demonstrated that personal effects of undergraduate students attending the Microbiology Laboratory at the university were microbially tainted with putative pathogens. This emphasizes the need for regular hand hygiene and disinfection of these items to minimize the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.

Keywords: Personal effects; undergraduates, microbial contamination, putative pathogens, antibiotic resistance