Characterization and Identification of Bacteria Present in the Bath Towels of Female Students in Rivers State University Hostels

Bath towels are an important part of our everyday life, but they often amass a large number of micro-organisms which may sometimes be harmful to us. For the study a total of 10 samples plus a control were collected from bath towels of female students in NDDC hostel, post-graduate hostel and control from Mile 3 market respectively between November 2021 to February 2022. Standard methods were employed for the sampling and determination of microbiological characteristics. Identification of bacteria was carried out using colonial, morphological and biochemical characteristics. Statistical analysis were performed using the T-test method and sensitivity was carried out on the isolates to detect pathogenicity. Range of microbial counts of NDDC hostel were: Total heterotrophic bacteria 2.0 x 104 cfu/ml to 3.17 x 104 cfu/ml, Total coliform count 0.48 x 104 cfu/ml to 2.99 x 104 cfu/ml in the first sampling. Post graduate hostel ranged from: Total heterotrophic bacteria 1.48 x 104 cfu/ml to 0.18 x 104 cfu/ml in the first sampling. For the second sampling, NDDC hostel microbial count ranged from 0.73 x 104 cfu/l to 1.15 x 104 cfu/ml in the total heterotrophic bacteria, and 0.31 x 104 cfu/ml to 0.13 x 104 cfu/ml for total coliform count. Post graduate hostel ranged from 0.27 x 104 cfu/ml to 0.93 x 104 cfu/ml for total heterotrophic bacteria and 0.22 x 104 cfu/ml to 0.18 x 104 cfu/ml for total coliform count. The control microbial count for total heterotrophic bacteria were 0.12 x 104 and 0.16 x 104 cfu/ml for the first and second sampling respectively and for the total coliform count, 0.18 x 104 cfu/ml and 0.17 x 104 cfu/ml for the first and second sampling respectively. Statistical analysis using student’s T-test was carried out. The mean test values for total heterotrophic bacteria in the first and second samplings were 2.2750E2 and 57.4000 in NDDC hostel and 1.5060E2 and 66.8000 in post graduate hostel. The mean values for total coliform count for the first and second samplings were 1.6220E2 and 24.5000 in NDDC hostel and 99.8000 and 26.9000 in Post graduate hostel. The test revealed that there was no significant difference in the bacterial load of NDDC hostel and Post graduate hostel from the two samplings. In the antimicrobial susceptibility test carried out, results showed that Ciproflox, Reflacine and Tarrivid were most effective against the isolates, whileth the isolates mostly showed resistance against Amplicox, Amoxil and Azithromycin. The bacteria species isolated were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella spp, Bacillus spp. The study demonstrated that significant numbers of E.coli, and staphylococcus as well as other microbes occur in bath towels.