MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE IN BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM INDOOR AIR OF OFFICES IN A TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN NORTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Background: The quality of air breathed in can affect man’s quality of health. Persistent presence

of multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria strains in indoor air can be a potential source health risk.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess multi-drug resistant airborne bacteria in Kaduna State

University, Nigeria.

Methods: A total of 46 samples were collected from the indoor air of selected offices, toilets,

lecture rooms and laboratories using settled plate technique. Total bacterial load was determined,

the bacteria were identified and isolated using conventional biochemical methods and Gram

staining. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolates was also carried out using disc agar

diffusion method. All the isolates which showed resistance to one or more antibiotics from 3 or

more antimicrobial classes were classified as multidrug resistant.

Results: The total mean bacteria count from the various sampling site ranged from 0.9 x 103 to 6.5

x 103 CFU/m3 . A total of 50 bacteria were isolated with Staphylococcus aureus 15 (30%) having

the highest occurrence followed by Bacillus subtilis 11 (22%), Micrococcus spp 11 (22%),

Streptococcus spp 7 (14%), Clostridium spp 5 (10%), and Ps. aeruginosa 1 (2%). All the isolates

were resistant to ceftriazone, 85.1% to cefoxitin, and 80.9% resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic

acid and chloramphenicol. All the bacteria isolates showed 100% multidrug resistance except

Streptococcus spp (85.7%). However, vancomycin was the most active antibiotic (68.1%).

Conclusion: The indoor air sampled had high and very high bacteria load. High percentage of

multidrug resistance was also observed in the study.