Total Aerobic Bacterial Counts Research Articles

Microbial Pollution with Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in the Buriganga River of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is located on the bank of the Buriganga River. Pollution of Buriganga river water with different types of waste containing antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria poses a threat to human health. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the physicochemical parameters, total aerobic bacterial count (TBC), total coliform count (TC), and antibiotic-resistant bacteria from waste disposal points located in the river seasonally. We collected 59 water samples from sewage waste (SW), 31 from industrial waste (IW), and 9 from hospital waste (HW) disposal sites during the wet (November to April) and dry (May to September) seasons in the Buriganga river. We found that water temperature, pH, BOD, and COD decreased, but water total dissolved solids (TDS) increased significantly in the dry season compared to the wet season. Bacteriological analysis showed that total TBC and TC were significantly increased in the dry season compared to the wet. Further analysis showed that TBC and TC from the water of SW and HW disposal sites increased in the dry season compared to the wet. However, TBC and TC from the water at IW disposal sites were not changed. These results indicate that SW and HW are the main contributors to the bacterial coliform contamination in the Buriganga River. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., and Salmonella spp. isolates showed a high prevalence of resistance against commonly used antibiotics. It can be concluded that SW and HW might spread AR bacteria in the water of the Buriganga River, which causes a significant threat to humans and the environment. Jagannath University Journal of Life and Earth Sciences, 9(2): 215-226, 2023 (December)

A non-destructive predictive model for estimating the freshness/spoilage of packaged chicken meat using changes in drip metabolites

This study investigates the possibility of utilizing drip as a non-destructive method for assessing the freshness and spoilage of chicken meat. The quality parameters [pH, volatile base nitrogen (VBN), and total aerobic bacterial counts (TAB)] of chicken meat were evaluated over a 13-day storage period in vacuum packaging at 4 °C. Simultaneously, the metabolites in the chicken meat and its drip were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance. Correlation (Pearson's and Spearman's rank) and pathway analyses were conducted to select the metabolites for model training. Binary logistic regression (model 1 and model 2) and multiple linear regression models (model 3-1 and model 3-2) were trained using selected metabolites, and their performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. As a result, the chicken meat was spoiled after 7 days of storage, exceeding 20 mg/100 g VBN and 5.7 log CFU/g TAB. The correlation analysis identified one organic acid, eight free amino acids, and five nucleic acids as highly correlated with chicken meat and its drip during storage. Pathway analysis revealed tyrosine and purine metabolism as metabolic pathways highly correlated with spoilage. Based on these findings, specific metabolites were selected for model training: ATP, glutamine, hypoxanthine, IMP, tyrosine, and tyramine. To predict the freshness and spoilage of chicken meat, model 1, trained using tyramine, ATP, tyrosine, and IMP from chicken meat, achieved a 99.9 % accuracy and had an ROC value of 0.884 when validated using drip metabolites. This model 1 was improved by training with tyramine and IMP from both chicken meat and its drip (model 2), which increased the ROC value for drip metabolites from 0.884 to 0.997. Finally, selected two metabolites (tyramine and IMP) can predict TAB and VBN quantitatively through models 3-1 and 3-2, respectively. Therefore, the model developed using metabolic changes in drip demonstrated the capability to non-destructively predict the freshness and spoilage of chicken meat at 4 °C. To make generic predictions, it is necessary to expand the model's applicability to various conditions, such as different temperatures, and validate its performance across multiple chicken batches.

Influence of stocking density on the growth, immune and physiological responses, and cultivation environment of white-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in biofloc systems

Biofloc (BF) stands out as a promising system for sustainable shrimp farming. Optimizing various culture conditions, such as stocking density, carbohydrate source, and feeding management, is crucial for the widespread adoption of the BF system. This study compares the growth performance of white-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in culture ponds at low density (LD) with 50 organisms/m2 and high density (HD) with 200 organisms/m2. Post-larvae of white-leg shrimp were stocked for 16 weeks in both LD and HD groups. The LD group exhibited a superior survival rate, growth rate, and feed consumption compared to the HD group. The BF from the LD system recorded a significantly higher protein content (16.63 ± 0.21%) than the HD group (15.21 ± 0.34%). Heterotrophic bacterial counts in water did not significantly differ with stocking density. However, Vibrio count in water samples was higher in the HD group (3.59 ± 0.35 log CFU/mL) compared to the LD group (2.45 ± 0.43 log CFU/mL). The whole shrimp body analysis revealed significantly higher protein and lipid content in the LD group. In contrast, the total aerobic bacterial count in shrimp from the HD group was high, with the identification of Salmonella enterica ssp. arizonae. Additionally, Vibrio counts in shrimp samples were significantly higher in the HD group (4.63 ± 0.32 log CFU/g) compared to the LD group (3.57 ± 0.22 log CFU/g). The expression levels of immune-associated genes, including prophenoloxidase, transglutaminase, penaiedin 3, superoxide dismutase, lysozyme, serine proteinase, and the growth-related gene ras-related protein (rap-2a), were significantly enhanced in the LD group. Conversely, stress-related gene expression increased significantly in the HD group. Hepatopancreases amylase, lipase, and protease were higher in the LD group, while trypsin activity did not differ significantly. Antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase) significantly increased in the LD group. The histological structure of hepatopancreas, musculature, and female gonads remained similar in both densities. However, negative effects were observed in the gills' histology of the HD group. These results suggest that increasing stocking density is associated with significantly negative biological, microbial, and physiological effects on white-leg shrimp under the BF system.

Effects of Thawing Conditions on the Physicochemical and Microbiological Quality of Thawed Beef.

This study aimed to determine the effects of thawing methods such as thawing in a refrigerator, at room temperature, in cold water, and using a microwave oven on the pH, color value, 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value, water-holding capacity, thawing loss, textural attributes, microbial status, and morphology of frozen beef samples. The redness (a*) value of beef samples thawed in cold water for prolonged time and those thawed at room temperature for prolonged time significantly increased compared with that of samples thawed using other methods. The TBA value and thawing loss of beef samples thawed in a refrigerator were significantly lower than those of samples thawed using other methods. Regardless of the thawing method used, beef samples thawed for prolonged time showed significantly high TBA values. With regard to texture, beef samples thawed using a microwave oven showed the maximum hardness compared with those thawed using other methods. The total aerobic bacterial count in fresh beef samples was 1.98 log colony-forming unit (CFU)/g, whereas that in samples thawed at room temperature was 2.49 log CFU/g. Beef samples thawed at room temperature for prolonged time and those thawed using a microwave oven showed irregular structure. These data demonstrated that the thawing condition affects the physicochemical and microbiological qualities of beef, with thawing in a refrigerator resulting in superior beef quality than thawing at room temperature or using a microwave oven.

A STUDY OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION IN PUNARNAVA MANDURA

Introduction: Herbal medicines are being used extensively in many countries to treat many diseases, as seen in the COVID-19 pandemic, so the global market for herbal medicines has grown suddenly. In India, under the Ayurveda system of medicine, apart from plants, animal and mineral products have also been used as medicine since long ago. Both herbal and animal products contain primarily organic components; therefore, like food in-gredients (biological ingredients), herbal medicine and animal products are at risk of microbial growth and con-tamination. Punarnava Mandura is a popular Ayurvedic medicine described in various classical and authoritative texts of Ayurveda. It is a perfect example of a medicine made from substances derived from plants, minerals, and animals. It contains Mandura Bhasma as a mineral component apart from other herbal ingredients, while cow urine (Gomutra) is of animal origin. It is widely used in infectious and non-infectious fever, cold, indigestion, and other diseases of the Gastrointestinal tract. Microbial contamination of medicines is defined as the unintend-ed habitation of pathogenic microbes that cause their degradation. In pharmaceutics, various factors may be a source of microbes, including the ingredients of drugs, manpower, machines, and the environment of the phar-macy. Microbial contamination is a pertinent issue and essential in quality control steps in pharmaceutical man-ufacturing and food processing. Microbial contamination of medicines and food products may also affect human health. Objective: The primary aim and purpose of the present study was to determine the microbial contamina-tion of an Ayurvedic Herbo-mineral drug sample of Punarnava Mandura. Material and methods: The drug sam-ple (Self-made) was made in the institute pharmacy. Another drug sample (market sample) of Punarnava Man-dura of a pharmacy was also kept as a control to compare the results. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of microbial loads in Punarnava Mandura was assessed. The following strains of microbes: E. Coli, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Fungus, and Total viable aerobic bacterial count were evaluated. Results: Both the samples of Punarnava Mandura have shown an insignificant load of selected microbes.

Microbiological Analysis and Content of Heavy Metals in Different Candies, Chocolates, and Their Wrappers in Bangladesh.

Present study investigates 39 brands of candies, chocolate, and litchis, purchased from Dhaka City, Bangladesh, for their moisture content, sulphated ash value, heavy metal, and bacterial contamination. All the brands showed moisture content (0.64%-4.775%) within the BSTI range, but sulphated ash values (18.80%-25.72%) were beyond the accepted value. Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr ranged from 0.24-2.40 μg/g, 0.071-0.44 μg/g, 0.38-48.10 μg/g, and 0.50-12.79 μg/g, respectively, in the tested brands. Most of the brands contained Pb and Cd beyond the acceptable limits of WHO/FDA. Pb (2.24-2586.75 μg/g) was found in high concentration in the packaging of most brands, and Ni and Cd ranged from 2.10-108.05 μg/g and 1.68-45 μg/g, respectively. Bacterial presence was found in 15 brands, and 4 of them had a total aerobic bacterial count of >1 log CFU/g. Consumption of such contaminated confectionaries holds significant public health risks, specially in children, and demands necessary precautionary steps.

Suboptimal Bacteriological Quality of Household Water in Municipal Ibadan, Nigeria.

Access to potable water is difficult for many African residents. This study evaluated the bacteriological quality of household water collected in the dry and wet seasons across five municipal local government areas (LGAs) in Ibadan, a large city in southwest Nigeria. A total of 447 water samples (dry season, n = 250; wet season, n = 197) were aseptically collected from a random sample of mapped households within Ibadan's five municipal LGAs. The pH values and total aerobic and coliform bacterial counts were measured, and samples were screened for Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Yersinia by standard phenotypic techniques and multiplex polymerase chain reaction. The most common source of water was well (53.2%), followed by borehole (34%). None of the households used municipal tap water. Cumulatively, aerobic (P = 0.0002) and coliform (P = 0.0001) counts as well as pH values (P = 0.0002) changed significantly between seasons, with increasing and decreasing counts depending on the LGA. Nonpotable water samples were found to be very common during the dry (86.8%) and wet (74.1%) seasons. Escherichia coli spp., as indicators of recent fecal contamination, were isolated from 115 (25.7%) of the household water sources. Thirty three Salmonella, four enteroaggregative E. coli, and four enterotoxigenic E. coli isolates but no Shigella or Yersinia isolates were identified. This study revealed the absence of treated tap water and the poor quality of alternative sources with detectable pathogens in municipal Ibadan. Addressing the city-wide lack of access to potable water is an essential priority for preventing a high prevalence of feco-orally transmitted infections.

Bacterial Assessment of Selected Ready-To-Eat Foods Sold at Some Restaurants Within Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State

Foodborne illness can occur following the intake of food containing high number of viable bacteria and their toxins, although highly common and of public health concern, it is a very preventable occurrence. The research aimed at isolating and identifying the microorganisms that are present in ready to eat foods sold at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria and to study their antibiotics sensitivity patterns. A total of three (3) samples of ready to eat food (White Rice, Beans and Moin moin) were collected from three different canteens within the school premises. Standard methods were used for the total aerobic bacterial counts, coliform counts, Staphylococcus count and Salmonella-Shigella counts. Identification of isolates were performed using various biochemical tests and the antimicrobial sensitivity of bacterial isolates obtained from the food samples was also performed using disc diffusion assay. Beans sample has the highest total aerobic bacteria, Staphylococcus, Salmonella and Shigella counts of 26.67 ± 8.32 x 105 cfu/mL, 3.00 ± 1.00 x 105 cfu/mL and 4.67 ± 3.06 x 105 cfu/mL respectively and Moin moin sample has the highest total coliform count of 6.67 ± 4.93 x 105 cfu/mL. The bacteria isolated from the samples were identified as Enterococcus aerogenes, Proteus vulgaris, Citrobacter freundii, Escherichia coli, Bacillus species, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus and Salmonella enterica. Proteus vulgaris produced the highest zone of inhibition of 15.00 mm with ciprofloxacin while none of the isolates produced a zone of inhibition with rifampicin. It can be concluded from this study that some of the foods sold have considerable number of bacteria which can pose a health risk to the consumers.

Innovative high power short time microwave finish drying cum decontamination method for producing hot curry spice mix (Garam Masala) with enhanced quality characteristics

Garam Masala is a mixture of ground spices commonly used in Indian and some Asian cuisines. Garam Masala risks microbial contamination due to poor hygienic conditions during various stages, including harvesting, processing, and storage. Moreover, its phytochemicals and antioxidant capacity need to be enhanced for better application in curry preparation and other recipes. The Garam Masala generally has a high microbial load and relatively higher moisture content (10-12% wet basis). The product having such a high moisture content is not shelf stable for longer durations due to its vulnerability to microbial growth. Therefore, an innovative high power short time finish drying cum decontamination method using microwaves (2.45 GHz) for Garam Masala was developed. Garam Masala was subjected to three different levels of microwave power density (10, 15, and 20 W/g) for 60 s. The best microbial load treatment protocol was also implemented, which consisted of applying 20 W/g for a duration of 60 s, followed by 6 cycles of 10 s “ON” and 5 s “OFF”. Drying kinetics were studied, and the Page model was found to be the best-fitting model. Microwave treatment exhibited a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the total aerobic mesophilic bacterial count (2.79 log) and Bacillus cereus (1.83 log). The results also demonstrated that 15 W/g treatment enhanced the total phenolics, flavonoids content, and antioxidant capacity. No significant color changes were found between the untreated and treated samples. Therefore, it was concluded that a high power short time microwave finish drying cum decontamination method can control the microbial load and enhance the chemical characteristics in Garam Masala.

Changes in properties of human milk under different conditions of frozen storage

Human milk is the best source of nutrition for infants. Lower freezing temperatures and faster freezing rates allow for better preservation of human milk. However, research on the freezing conditions of human milk is limited. This study investigated the effectiveness of quick freezing and suitable freezing conditions for home preservation. Human milk was stored under different freezing conditions (−18 °C, −18 °C quick freezing, −30 °C, −40 °C, −60 °C, and − 80 °C) for 30, 60, and 90 days and then evaluated for changes in the microbial counts, bioactive protein, and lipid. The results showed that the total aerobic bacterial and Bifidobacteria counts in human milk after storage at freezing temperatures of − 30 °C and lower were closer to those of fresh human milk compared to − 18 °C. Furthermore, the lysozyme loss, lipid hydrolysis degree, and volatile organic compound production were lower. However, −18 °C quick freezing storage was not markedly different from −18 °C in maintaining human milk quality. Based on the results, for household and environmental reasons, the recommended temperature for storing human milk is suggested as −30 °C.

Systemic validation of mono-herbal Siddha formulation Kanduparangi chooranam through ICP-OES, GC-MS and microbial contamination analysis

Introduction: Standardization of the Siddha drugs is the process that enhances the quality of the drug before entering into industrial purposes in pharmacological and pharmaceutical sciences. The reports from the instrumental analysis give adequate details to claim the therapeutic efficacy of the drugs without any hazardous effects which are already quoted in the Siddha classical textbooks. Materials and methods: The drug Kanduparangi chooranam was analyzed by the following methods, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), total and specific microbial contamination test and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS). Results and discussion: ICP-OES results of Kanduparangi chooranam showed that the toxic heavy metals like As, Cd, Hg and Pb were Below Detection Limit (BDL). The total viable aerobic bacterial count and total viable fungal count of Kanduparangi chooranam showed that 9.2x 102 and 12.3 x 102 respectively detected level contamination were under the limits value of safety as per WHO guidelines. Specific microbial contamination test of Kanduparangi chooranam showed that there was no growth of the following microorganisms, Salmonella species, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. GC-MS analysis revealed that there was no trace of chemical compounds of Organo-pesticide residues (Chlorine, Phophorus &amp; Pyrithroids) and Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2. Conclusion: Kanduparangi chooranam which was prepared from purified roots of Pygmaeopremna herbacea in a proper way as per the Siddha classical method, is useful for treatment purposes devoid of toxic heavy metals, microbes, pesticides and aflatoxins.

Impact of Stocking Densities on the Microbiota of the Cloaca, Eggshell, and Egg Content of White Egg Layers in Colony Cages

Food safety is a major concern for commercial poultry producers and consumers. Currently, there is also pressure from retailers and legislators to increase the space per hen in cages. Five different density treatments consisting of six (208 in2/bird), nine (139 in2/bird), twelve (104 in2/bird), fifteen (83 in2/bird), and eighteen birds (69 in2/bird) per cage were examined in colony cage environments. Microbiological tests were performed at 39, 55, and 68 weeks of age. The populations of total aerobic bacteria; E. coli/coliform; Enterobacteriaceae; and yeasts and molds from an eggshell rinse, egg content, and cloacal swabs were enumerated. The prevalence of Salmonella spp. in these samples was also monitored. Overall, no bacteria were detected in any of the egg content, and there were no differences (p &gt; 0.05) between treatments for the shell rinse. Stocking density did not influence the eggshell microbiota of the hens. Hens housed at 104 in2 per hen showed higher levels of total aerobic bacterial counts from the cloaca compared to hens at 208 in2 and 69 in2 per hen. Hens housed at 139 in2 per hen had the highest level of cloacal molds. This research demonstrates that stocking density does not influence eggshell microbiota or Salmonella contamination of the eggshell or cloaca, thereby indicating that allowing more space per hen will not positively or negatively affect the prevalence or concentration of foodborne pathogen-associated bacteria in or on the eggs.

Prevalence of bacterial isolates from cell phone surfaces in Madonna University Elele Campus

Cell phones is a major revolution in the communication industry. In recent times, cell phone is carried by almost everybody, however, in some areas where not everyone has a cell phone, people patronize paid phone booths to communicate with loved ones. Madonna University, Elele Campus, is in Rivers State Nigeria and accommodates the University where all the students and staff are living on campus, The Madonna University Teaching Hospital, the pilgrimage center where pilgrims from all over the world visit regularly. There are phone booths at strategic locations where individuals pay and use their phone. Since different people use the same phone with their hands and mouth to make calls, this research was aimed at accessing the prevalence of bacteria isolates from cell phone surfaces in Madonna University, Elele campus, and the susceptibility of these organisms to commonly used antibiotics. Fifty swab samples were collected from the surface of cell phones at various locations in Madonna University, Elele Campus, and were microbiologically analyzed for the aerobic bacteria count and susceptibility to different antibiotics using the pour-plate method. Madonna University Teaching Hospital phone booth recorded the highest total aerobic bacterial count and number of bacteria isolates compared to other centers. Staphylococcus species was significantly (p&lt;0.05) the most prevalent bacteria species isolated on the cell phones, and the percentage occurrence of various isolates were: Staphylococcus species (59.5%), Salmonella species (19.1%), Streptococcus specie (9.5%) Psuedomonas species (3.1%) and Escherichia coli (2.1%). Among the gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli had 100% susceptibility against all the antibiotics, Salmonella species recorded 100% susceptibility against ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, gentamycin, chloramphenicol and ampicillin while Proteus species had 100% against streptomycin and chloramphenicol. For the gram-positive, Streptococcus species and Staphylococcus species recorded a significant percentage of susceptibility ranging from 62.5% to 100% against some of the antibiotics used. This study conclude that cell phone surfaces could be a reservoir for different disease causing micro-organism and users should take precaution against bacterial infection while using cell phone.

Bacteriological assessment of hawked ready-to-eat fried prawns retailed in selected locations of Lagos Mainland, Nigeria

Ready-to-eat (RTE) prawn product which characterizes many streets of Lagos Mainland undoubtedly exposes a large number of customers to bacteriological hazards of health risks but no ample report yet on the safety of this product in Lagos Mainland. This study examined the bacterial contaminants of health importance in the hawked RTE prawns samples. Ten nylon-wrapped RTE prawns each were randomly selected from Oshodi (OS), Ebute-metta (EM) and Ketu (KT) vending areas of Lagos Mainland and bacteriologically enumerated for Total Aerobic Bacterial Count (TABC), Total Staphylococcus count (TSC) and Total Coliform Count (TCC), all expressed in log CFU/g. Presence of Salmonella and Shigella was also determined and biochemically confirmed. The bacterial counts differed insignificantly (p&lt;0.05) among the vending sites; lowest and highest mean TABC values (4.70±0.15, EM; 6.72 ± 0.18, KT), TSC (4.46±0.10, KT; 5.86± 0.13, OS), TCC (4.36±0.13 (OS); 5.55±0.06, (OS) and TEBC (0, (EM); 5.48±0.11, OS). Biochemically identified Staphylococcus aureus dominated the prawn products. Escherichia coli were detected with traces of Salmonella spp. The highest bacterial counts recorded in the entire RTE fried prawn products of this study are within the maximum limits recommended, implying their safe consumption. However, detection of Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. is an object of public health concern which demands an improvement in the hygiene practices of the product handlers.

Effects of potassium lactate on sensory attributes, bacterial community succession and biogenic amines formation in Rugao ham

To deepen the understanding in the effect of potassium lactate on the sensory quality and safety of Rugao ham, sensory attributes, physicochemical parameters, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), microorganism community and biogenic amines of Rugao ham manufactured with different potassium lactate levels (0 %, 0.5 %, 1 %, 2 %) were investigated; the relationship between microbial community and the formation of TVBN and biogenic amines was further evaluated. With the increase of potassium lactate from 0 % to 2 %, the increased sensory scores and the decreased total aerobic bacterial count and TVBN were observed; the abundance of Staphylococcus increased, while the content of Halomonas decreased. LDA effect size (LEfSe) and correlations analysis showed that Staphylococcus equorum and Lactobacillus fermentum could be the key species to improve sensory scores and decrease biogenic amines and TVBN. Metabolic pathway analysis further showed that amino acids metabolism and nitrogen metabolism were mainly involved in decreasing TVBN and biogenic amines in the treatment of 2 % potassium lactate.

Antibiotics Susceptibility Pattern of Bacterial Isolates Obtained from Potable Water Sources in Okerenkoko Community, Delta State, Nigeria

Safety and purity of drinking and cooking water sources in rural and riverine communities like Okerenkoko have posed a challenge for scientific discuss in recent times. Water devoid of both chemical and microbiological contaminants have been identified as a major key to wellness of any populace. In this study, eight potable water sources were obtained and evaluated for the study; the potable water sources obtained were treated to a 10-fold serial dilution and plated for aerobic bacterial, fungal, Salmonella-Shigella and Escherichia coli count. The antibiotics sensitivity testing employed the modified Kirby- Bauer method using the Abtek biological multiple disc. The multiple drug resistance was mathematically deduced using the standards and breakpoints. The NMU and George borehole had 5.8 Log10CFU/ml and 5.4 Log10CFU/ml for the total aerobic bacterial count while the total fungal count were 3.1 Log10CFU/ml and 3.6 Log10CFU/ml respectively. The culturable flora observed during the study were Bacillus sp, Escherichia sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., Shigella sp., Proteus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., Vibrio sp. Micrococcus sp. and Escherichia coli. The percentage resistance for the antibiotics revealed cefuroxime and ceftazidime had 64%, while nitrofurantoin had 71% and ofloxacin had 36%. Proteus sp. (1) had an MDR of 1.0, Klebsiella sp. (3) had 0.67 while Salmonella sp. and Escherichia coli had a MDR of 0.22 and 0.11. The findings of the study underscores the health challenges associated with the usage of the available potable water sources in Okerenkoko community. There is need for a community-wide campaign and sensitization on some basic water purification approaches as possible corrective actions to improve the quality of water; government must intervene and provide a routine and robust evaluation for both water safety and sanitary quality in rural communities.

Bacteriological Quality and Antimicrobial Resistant Patterns of Foodborne Pathogens Isolated from Commonly Vended Street Foods in Arba Minch Town, Southern Ethiopia.

Ready-to-eat foods sold by street vendors act as potential sources for the spread of various foodborne infectious diseases. Thus, local determination of the level of foodborne bacterial pathogens and their antimicrobial resistance pattern is essential. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 5th, 2022 to December 31th, 2022. The required data were collected by a structured questionnaire and observation checklist. Randomly selected street-vended foods were aseptically collected, and the bacteriological quality was assessed by using culture techniques. Different biochemical tests were used to identify and characterize bacterial isolates. The antimicrobial-resistant test for isolated foodborne bacterial pathogens was carried out by using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. A total of 34.2% (113/330) with a 95% CI of 29.1-39.4 of commonly consumed street-vended foods were identified as having unsatisfactory total mean aerobic bacterial counts (>105 CFU/g; 4.3 × 105 CFU/g). The mean total Enterobacteriaceae, coliform, and staphylococcal counts were found to be 1.4 × 105 CFU/g, 2.4 × 104 CFU/g, and 3.4 × 104 CFU/g, respectively. A total of 12.7% (42/330) of foodborne pathogens were recovered attributed to Staphylococcus aureus (31, 9.4%), Salmonella species (6, 1.8%), and E. coli O157:H7 (5, 1.5%). 6.5% and 16.1% of isolated S. aureus were found to be methicillin-resistant and multidrug-resistant (MDR), respectively. Additionally, 33.3% of Salmonella isolates and 40% of E. coli O157:H7 isolates were found to be MDR. Street-vended foods in this setting have a considerable number of unsatisfactory bacterial qualities, along with drug-resistant foodborne pathogens. Thus, more effective health education and training for vendors, regular inspections of vending sites, and regular surveillance of drug resistance patterns of foodborne pathogens are all essential.

Sterilize Methods Comparison for Soils: Cost, Time, and Efficiency

Soil sterilization is generally used to eliminate or reduce microbial activity in studies involving microbial inoculations, soil enzymes, among others. Achieving an adequate sterility condition is not straightforward due to the variety of resistance structures that are generated in soil microbial ecosystems and the reservoirs that can form between soil aggregates. This is why finding an effective method to achieve good sterilization is important in methodological terms, so the present work aims to compare the effectiveness of three widely used methodologies to sterilize soil and to evaluate their cost/benefit in terms of time and inputs invested. Four treatments were tested: gamma irradiation, sterilization cycles at different times: three cycles of 1 h each and four cycles of 15 min each, and chloroform vapors. The evaluation and comparison of all samples sterilized by the different methodologies were based on the total aerobic heterotrophic bacterial count. The results of this study suggest that it is more efficient to use autoclaving methods because the process is more accessible in terms of equipment and methodologies, and the final results are the same. In the case of this work, sterilization with chloroform vapors had to be rejected. While the use of gamma radiation may be more efficient in terms of time, it can be a costly and inaccessible service for some laboratories that do not have the equipment. Therefore, the most viable options in terms of time, cost, and benefit are those using autoclaves. Among these, shorter treatment times mean a reduction in the cost of using the equipment, so the option of 15-minute cycles is desirable.

SG-APSIC1023: Contamination of the geriatric medicine outpatient rehabilitation gym environment and the effectiveness of our current disinfection methods with patient hand hygiene practices

Objectives: To quantify the microorganism burden of rehabilitation gym equipment surfaces as well as to assess the effectiveness of patient’s practice of hand hygiene and our current disinfection methods to reduce burden and transmission of microorganisms during rehabilitation sessions. Methods: A prospective study of environmental contamination using microbiology culture in Khoo Teck Puat Hospital Geriatric Medicine Outpatient Rehabilitation Gym. Results: For both the control and intervention group, the total aerobic bacterial count on the gym equipment after patient use is significant and increase up to 360 CFU per swab. In the control and intervention groups, the total aerobic bacterial counts on the gym equipment before patients’ use were negligible (&lt;10 CFU per swab). The total aerobic bacterial count of the equipment remained negligible (&lt;10 CFU per swab) after patient use and immediate disinfection. We detected discrepancies between the results of the total aerobic bacterial count after patient use between the control and intervention groups. Conclusions: Outpatient rehabilitation gyms are potential reservoirs of microorganisms, which may further contribute to the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. In this study, an intervention in which cleaning equipment was wiped with alcohol wipes was effective in reducing microorganism transmission in the rehabilitation gym environment and should be considered as part of our infection control strategy. The additional step of involving our patients in using hand rub before the start of their therapy sessions can provide additional benefit in reducing microorganism transmission only if patients adhere to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended 7 steps of proper hand rub. Good patient education on hand hygiene is equally as important as that for healthcare professionals to control environmental contamination.

Influence of Bacterial Contamination and Antibiotic Sensitivity on Cryopreserved Sperm Quality of Indian Red Jungle Fowl.

Aims: Bacterial contamination may occur in feces during collection and processing of semen. Bacteria not only compete for nutrients with spermatozoa but also produce toxic metabolites and endotoxins and affect sperm quality. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of antibiotic supplementation on the sperm quality of Indian red jungle fowl, estimation and isolation of bacterial species and their antibiotic sensitivity. Materials and Methods: Semen was collected and initially evaluated, diluted, and divided into six experimental extenders containing gentamicin (2.5 μg/mL), kanamycin (31.2 μg/mL), neomycin (62.5 mg/mL), penicillin (200 U/mL), and streptomycin (250 μg/mL), and a control having no antibiotics were cryopreserved and semen quality was evaluated at post-dilution, post-cooling, post-equilibration, and post-thawing stages (Experiment 1). A total aerobic bacterial count was carried out after culturing bacteria (Experiment 2) and subcultured for antibiotic sensitivity (Experiment 3). Results: It was shown that penicillin-containing extender improved semen quality (sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, viability, and acrosomal integrity) compared with the control and other extenders having antibiotics. The bacteria isolated from semen were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., and Bacillus spp. Antibiotic sensitivity results revealed that E. coli shows high sensitivity toward neomycin, kanamycin, and penicillin. Staphylococcus spp. shows high sensitivity toward streptomycin, neomycin, and penicillin. Bacillus spp. shows high sensitivity toward kanamycin and penicillin. Conclusions: It was concluded that antibiotics added to semen extender did not cause any toxicity and maintained semen quality as that of untreated control samples, and penicillin was identified as most effective antibiotic. It is recommended that penicillin can be added to the semen extender for control of bacterial contamination without affecting the semen quality of Indian red jungle fowl.