Abstract

This study was conducted by carrying out the isolation, identification and determination of the sensitivity profile to antibiotics in bacteria isolated from fomites in some day care centres in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and twenty-four fomites were collected from selected seventeen day care centers within Ile-Ife. These were cultured on nutrient agar plates incubated at 37°C for 24 h using streak plate technique. Preliminary identification of bacterial isolates was performed using cultural, colonial and morphological characteristics of isolates on the agar plates such as relative size, colour, texture, consistency, pigment, elevation, edge and shape. Bacterial isolates were further characterized by physiological characteristics through biochemical reactions of the bacterial isolates to some reagents and media with reference to the Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. Isolates were further identified with Microbact identification test kit. The antibiotype of the isolates was determined by the Kirby-Bauer’s disk diffusion technique. Detection of extended spectrum beta-lactamase was done phenotypically by the double disc synergy test. Resistance to antibiotics varied greatly among the isolates. Resistance to cefuroxime, augmentin, cephalexin and ampicillin was notably high in Bacillus sp, Staphylococcus sp, Corynebacterium sp and Staphylococcus aureus from fomites. Meanwhile, all Enterobacteriaceae were susceptible to meropenem, ciprofloxacin, augmentin, trimethroprim, gentamycin, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol and ofloxacin. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) was generally high among the Gram positive isolates with diversity of MAR patterns.

Key words:  Fomites, bacteria, disk diffusion technique, antibiotic resistance.