Possible Bacteria Pathogens Found in the Internal Surface of Ladies Handbags in Umuahia, Abia State, South-Eastern Nigeria

Bacteria including the pathogenic species have been isolated from fomites, these organisms are sometimes multidrug resistant and are of public health concern. It is therefore important to isolate and identify potential bacterial pathogens associated with the internal surface of ladies handbags, in Umuahia, Abia state. One hundred and forty swabbed samples were collected from the ladies hand bags in different groups of individuals which include; Nurses, civil servants, students and market women. Also the handbags from which the samples were collected includes: Leather, Cotton, Nylon and Polyester and velvet handbags. The bags were swabbed with sterile swab sticks and inoculated on different types of culture media and incubated at 37oC for 24 hours. Bacterial isolates were identified using standard microbiological methods including biochemical tests before subjecting isolates to different antimicrobial sensitivity test that was carried out by disc diffusion method. The following bacteria were isolated from the internal surface of the handbags, Coagulase Negative Staphylococci 6(2.6%), Escherichia coli 36(15.7%), Klebsiella spp. 14(6.1%), Staphylococcus aureus 49(21.3%), Bacillus spp. 48(20.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 5(2.2%), Proteus spp. 5(2.2%), streptococcus spp. 31(13.5), Micrococcus spp. 20(8.7%), Salmonella spp. 3(1.3%) and Enterococcus faecalis 13(5.7%). Most of the isolates were sensitive to levofloxacin, gentamicin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and resistant to ampiclox, chloramphenicol and erythromycin. Potentially pathogenic bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics can be spread by hand contact from ladies handbags

Effects of macronutrients and rainfall pattern on microalgal spectrum of tidal creeks adjoining Lagos Lagoon, southwest, Nigeria

Variations in macronutrient contaminants and microalgal spectrum of three tidal creeks adjoining Lagos Lagoon, southwest Nigeria were investigated for six months (September, 2013 – February, 2014). Microalgae samples were collected using a 55 µ mplankton net hauled at low speed for 5mins. Physico-chemical parameters of surface waters analysed showed monthly variations linked to seawater intrusion and rainfall distribution pattern. Air and water temperatures were high (≥ 25°C) all through the sampling period. Transparency and total dissolved solids increased in the dry months (≤ 75.5 cm, ≤14100 mg/L) while the total suspended solids were low throughout the study period (≤1.5 mg/L). The waterbodies were slightly alkaline (≤ 8.2) all through the sampled months. Salinity and conductivity values increased steadily during the dry months Dissolved oxygen ranged between 1.1 and 8.0 mg/L while Chemical Oxygen Demand and Biochemical Oxygen Demand values at the creeks were low (£ 50.0 mg/L; £ 4.2 mg/L). Macronutrients concentration were higher in the dry months than in the wet months, whereas, heavy metals occurred as traces (£ 4 mg/L) throughout the period. Microalgal biomass in terms of numbers was relatively higher in the wet months than in the dry months. A total of 25 species from 20 genera were recorded. The observed classes in terms of abundance were Bacillariophyceae (83 %), Cyanophyceae (13 %) and Chlorophyceae (4 %). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in species diversity between the three creeks investigated.&nbsp