Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of Airborne Aspergillus flavus and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Public Toilets within Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

MRSA is a major contributor to skin infections, bloodstream infections, toxic shock syndrome, and joint inflammation. Aspergillus flavus can result in a range of health issues these problems include allergic reactions, aspergilloma, both invasive and non-invasive. infections are a matter of importance for public health. Aspergillus flavus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) resistance to both antibiotics and antifungal medications put the public at risk.This study therefore was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Aspergillus flavus and Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from publicly used toilets in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria. Eighty (80) samples were collected for a period of two months from five public toilets using the sedimentation air sampling method. Samples were subjected to isolation and identification, antibiotics and antifungal susceptibility test using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method, plant extracts and molecular identification of bacterial isolates for analysis. The susceptibility profile showed that MRSA were resistant to Ofloxacin (61%), Ceftazidime (92.30%), Levoflaxcin (92.30%), Vancomycin (77 %), Gentamycin (61%), Azithromycin (46.2%) and cefotaxime (46.2%) and susceptible to Imipenem (100%), Meropenem (92.32%). Ketoconazole and nystatin both antifungals were both effective on the A. flavus. Methanol extract of Ocimum grastissimum was more effective followed by Psidium guajava and moringa oleifera on MRSA but also less effective in A. flavus. The MAR index ranged from 0.1 to 0.8 which showed that 60% of MRSA isolates had MAR index of 0.8, while 20% had MAR index of 0.4 and 0.5. The antimicrobial activity of the extracts is promising as the extracts could be used as a cheap antimicrobial for the treatment of infections cause by these test organisms. Conclusively, this study revealed both organisms present in toilet air, their vulnerability patterns was established, their resistance gene verified, and explore the potential use of natural plant compounds on them, would assist in mitigating public health.