Isolation and Identification of Pathogenic Microorganisms on the External Body Parts of Carpenter Ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus) Collected from Kitchens

Abstract

Carpenter ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus) are not only found in kitchens but they are also present in gutters, woods, and the places which are poorly adapted to healthy environment. The presence of these ants in the kitchen makes all the utensils and the food entirely unhygienic as a result when they are used by humans make them ill or may cause death. Carpenter ants are the very important source of spreading these pathogenic bacteria to humans and spreads food borne illness. The study was attempted to isolate the pathogenic bacteria from the external body parts of Camponotus pennsylvanicuscollected from kitchen of different hotels, houses and restaurants located in different areas of district Lahore. To isolate these pathogenic microorganisms, carpenter ants external body parts were dipped in the nutrient broth medium and the turbidity produced in the medium, (after 24 hours incubation with shaking) indicated the presence of certain microorganisms. Among the collected samples, bacteria like E.coli, salmonella, staphylococcus and streptococcus pathogenic species were isolated and identified by the help of selective media. Total 300 samples were collected and all were found to be contaminated with these pathogenic bacteria mentioned above. Results concluded showed and confirmed that the presence of carpenter ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus) in the kitchen of houses, hotels and restaurants are the important source of spreading different pathogenic bacteria which are very lethal to human health and may