Prevalence and plasmid DNA profiles of antibiotic resistant bacterial isolates from mobile phones of volunteer University students in Sagamu Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Mobile phones are devices that can receive and make calls over a radio frequency link while the user is moving within a telephone service area. They are indispensable devices for professional and social life. There is a potential for microbial colonization of this device from the users. This study evaluated the prevalence, resistance to conventional antibiotics and plasmid profiles of some selected bacterial isolates from the phones of volunteers’ students.

Methods: A total number of one hundred (100) phone swab samples were collected and inoculated in peptone broth and incubated overnight. The inoculums were thereafter sub-cultured in different culture media for the isolation of various bacteria and their identity were confirmed using standard biochemical tests; catalase test, coagulase test, oxidase test, indole test, methyl red test, DNAse test, citrate utilization and haemolysis test. Antibiotic susceptibility using modified Kirby Bauer methods and plasmid profile analysis of some selected resistant isolates were determined.

Results: The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus had the highest (62%) followed by Escherichia coli (50%),Pseudomonas aeruginosa (44%), Streptococcus spp (20%) and coagulase negative staphylococci (18%) respectively. The antibiogram of the biochemically characterized isolates showed varied patterns of antibiotics resistance and plasmid molecular weights profiles.

Conclusion: The prevalence of pathogenic bacteria with remarkable resistance to a broad spectrum of antibiotics and with plasmids of varied molecular weights from the phones of the volunteers showed the potential of the phones as a possible agent of transmission of pathogenic infection.