CHARACTERISATION OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS ISOLATED FROM DOOR HANDLES IN THE COLLEGE OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES, MOUNTAIN TOP UNIVERSITY.

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal organism that resides in skin. Mild to lifethreatening diseases can occur if the organism enters into the body especially in an immunocompromised or immunosuppressed individual. This study was carried out in order to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus on door handles and the antibiotic susceptibility of the organism to some commonly used antibiotics in Mountain Top University. A total of 30 door samples were obtained, 10 each from office doors, lecture rooms and toilets within the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Mountain Top University. These were cultured and identified using appropriate biochemical tests. A total of 14(46.7%) isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus. Toilets doors accounted for the highest prevalence with 64%. The antibiotics susceptibility test revealed that Tetracycline was the most effective of all the test antibiotics against the Staphylococcus aureus isolated. This shows that the door handles harbors Staphylococcus aureus which have the potentials of causing infections. These microorganisms can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to practice good personal hygiene through hand washing and use of hand sanitizer will aid to reduce the incidence of microbial transmission.