ABSTRACT
The human hands harbour microorganisms both as part of a person’s normal microbial flora as well as transient microbes acquired from the environment. This study was carried out to isolate and identify Bacillus spp that are associated with the hands of apparently healthy female undergraduate students in Obafemi Awolowo University. The samples were collected using sterile swab sticks dampened into sterile 0.85% normal saline and processed immediately in the laboratory. The isolates were sub-cultured on sterile nutrient agar plates and this process was repeated until pure colonies were obtained and observed for morphological characteristics. The isolates were subjected to various biochemical tests and results were interpreted using Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology and antibiotic susceptibility testing was carried out using agar disc diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar, incubated at 37oC for 24 hours.
A total of 20 samples were collected and Bacillus spp was found to be 60%. Bacillus spp was 100% susceptible to Streptomycin, Pefloxacin, Ciprofloxacin and Gentamycin while they were 50% resistant to Amoxicillin and Ampiclox. Bacillus spp isolated showed 50% multiple antibiotic resistance to Amoxicillin, Ampiclox and Cefuroxime.
The study concluded that Bacillus spp abound in the hands of the students; as such proper hand hygiene should be practiced regularly.
Title I
Certification II
Dedication III
Acknowledgements IV
Table of contents V
List of tables IX
Abstract X
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Main objectives of the study 3
1.2 Literature review 4
1.2.1 The skin 4
1.2.2 The Hand 5
1.2.2.1 The physical conditions of the human hands 8
a. Temperature 8
b. pH 8
c. Moisture 8
1.2.2.2 Different Conditions of the Hand 9
a. Unwashed Hands 9
b. Rinsed Hands 10
c. Washed Hands 10
d. Sanitized Hands 10
1.2.2.3 Factors that influence the hand microbiome composition 10
1.2.2.4 Transmission 11
1.2.3 Antibiotic susceptibility testing 14
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Materials and Methods 16
2.1 Materials 16
2.2Methods 16
2.2.1 Sterilization of Materials 16
2.2.2 Preparation of Media 17
2.2.3 Study location 17
2.2.4 Isolation of colonies 17
2.2.5 Identification of isolates 17
2.2.6 Cultural characteristics of isolates 18
2.2.7 Morphological characteristics of isolates 18
2.2.7.1 Preparation of smear 18
2.2.8 Biochemical Identification of the Isolate 17
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Results 21
3.1 Morphological characteristics of bacteria isolates 21
3.2 Identification of bacteria isolates 21
3.3 Antibiotics susceptibility profile of the bacteria 21
3.4 Antibiotics susceptibility pattern of the bacteria 21
3.5 Multiple Antibiotics resistance pattern of the bacteria 21
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Discussion conclusion and recommendation 28
4.1 Discussion 28-29
4.2 Conclusion 30
4.3 Recommendation 30
REFERENCE 31
APPENDIX 1 37
INTERPRETATION OF THE ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY RESULT ACCORDING TO CLSI STANDARD (2006) FOR GRAM POSITIVE ORGANISMS
