Abstract

IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF BACTERIA PRESENT IN THE TOILET BOWLS OF STUDENTS’ HOSTEL IN DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, ABRAKA

Clement Oliseloke Anie, Michael Oghenejobo* and Emuobuvie Asibe

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study is aimed at isolating and identifying the bacteria present in the toilet bowl, and to evaluate the microbial contamination of toilet bowl in students’ hostels and to also evaluate the diseases contracted from the toilet. Method: Samples were collected by swabbing toilet bowls and then cultured in nutrient agar. Overnight broth cultures of the bacteria colony formed in the cultured agar plates were also prepared. The bacteria isolates present in the overnight broth were identified by carrying out biochemical tests on them. These tests include; Gram staining, fermentation test which test the bacteria ability to ferment glucose, sucrose and lactose, Biochemical tests such as; catalase test, urease test, oxidase test, coagulase test, methyl red test, Simmon citrate test and indole test. Results: Hundred (100) samples were collected from the toilet bowls in school hostels in Delta State University, Abraka. From the study, twenty-six (26) gram positive bacteria and seventeen (17) gram negative bacteria were isolated and identified. Micrococcus spp has the highest percentage of occurrence (7%), followed by Staphylococcus spp (6%), Staphylococcus aureus and Citrobacter spp (5%) each, Enterobacter spp and Bacillus spp (4%) each, Pseudomonas spp (3%), Aeromonas spp, Serratia spp, providencia spp and Proteus spp (2%) respectively. Staphylococcus epidermidis has the lowest percentage of occurrence (1%). The remaining 57% of the samples collected showed no growth on culturing. Conclusion: From this study carried out, it is observed that majority of the bacteria identified from swabbing toilet bowls are part of the human normal microbial flora of the skin, intestines and organs like the kidney.

Keywords: Toilet bowl, Microbial contamination, Bacteria, Isolates.