Microbiological Assessment of the Pedestrian Hand Rails of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro

The microbial contamination of handrails of the pedestrian walkway could serve as potential source for community acquired infections. This research work assessed the potential of bacteria and fungi pathogens in polytechnic campus environment. Twelve (12) samples were collected from the pedestrian handrails of Delta state polytechnic, Ozoro and the samples were coded as, ERA,ELA,MRA,MLA,EXRA,EXLA,ERB,ELB,MRB,MLB,EXRB and EXRB. Contamination was higher in the morning sample for Bacteria but less for Fungi than in afternoon sample. A total of five(5) Bacteria species were isolated; Proteus mirabilis, Streptococcus suis, Enterococcus species, Corynrbacterium species and Enterobacter aerogenes and four (4) Fungi species; Candida albican, Mold species, Aspergellus flavus and Penicillin species. The total heterotrophic plate count for bacterial isolates ranges from 8.4 x 101 to 2.16 x 102 CFU/ML while that of fungal isolates ranges from 0.4 x 101 to 2 x 101 CFU/ML. Streptococcus suis(33. 33%) have the highest percentage of occurrence while Enterococcus species(8.33%) have the least percentage of occurrence amongst the bacterial isolates. Aspergellus flavus (52.38%) have the highest percentage occurrence while Mold species (4. 76%) and Penicillin species (9.52%) have the least percentage of occurrences amongst the fungal isolates. This study therefore, shows that the pedestrian handrails harbor highly pathogenic Bacteria and Fungi which have the potentials of causing epidemics in future.