Antibiotic susceptibility of bacteria recovered from university libraries in Jordan

Aims: Due to the growing number of media reports claiming that books contain germs, it is crucial to look into the possibility that contagious diseases could spread through libraries. The aim of the study was to identify bacteria from various fomites in four Jordanian university libraries and to assess the antibacterial resistance pattern of isolates. Methodology and results: In this study, swab samples were taken from different fomites of four Jordanian university libraries. Samples were then cultivated on nutrient agar and incubated aerobically at 37 °C for 48 h. To identify different types of isolated bacteria, biochemical and conventional biochemical tests were applied using the qualitative RapID TM One System with the help of ERICTM software to identify the bacterial isolates at the species level. Identified bacterial species, including Escherichia coli , Shigella sonnei , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Klebsiella pneumonia , Staphylococcus epidermis , S. aureus , Salmonella choleraesuis , Bacillus subtilis and Citrobacter freundii were isolated from different library fomites. Seventy-one bacterial isolates from University A were observed to be multidrug-resistant (MDR) ( S. sonnei and S. choleraesuis ) . This MDR pattern is alarming as those isolates were found in a public environment and that imposes a direct threat on library users, staff and visitors . Conclusion, significance and impact of study: University libraries' fomites carry live bacterial pathogens, which can contaminate users' hands and serve as an indirect route for spreading antibiotic resistance and microbial illnesses. While more research is required, considering hand hygiene improvement would be the simplest infection control technique at libraries. Additionally, proactive measures should be taken to track the prevalence of harmful microorganisms in these settings and their effects on employees' and the public's health.