Microbiological Contamination of Public Transport Vehicle Surfaces and Public Health Implications in Selected Motor Parks in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

The contamination of public transport vehicles with pathogenic microorganisms is an important public-health concern in densely populated urban settings where sanitation is frequently inadequate. This cross-sectional study assessed bacterial and fungal contamination on frequently touched surfaces of public transport vehicles in five motor parks within Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and characterised the antimicrobial susceptibility of the bacterial isolates. A total of 150 surface swab samples were collected from the handles and seats of cars and buses across Central, Uselu, New Benin, UNIBEN Shuttle, and Ramat motor parks. Isolates were identified using standard cultural, microscopic, and biochemical techniques, and antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute criteria. Microbial growth was recovered from 63.3% of samples. The predominant bacterial isolates were Klebsiella spp. (18.0%), Escherichia coli (13.3%), Pseudomonas spp. (10.0%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (8.0%), Staphylococcus aureus (8.0%), Enterobacter spp. (4.0%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (2.0%). Candida spp. (38.0%) was the most common fungus, followed by Penicillium spp. (8.0%) and Aspergillus spp. (2.0%). Gram-negative isolates, particularly Klebsiella spp., showed high resistance to cephalosporins and amoxicillin-clavulanate, while fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides retained the greatest activity. Bacterial and fungal prevalence differed significantly between motor parks. These findings indicate that public transport surfaces in Benin City are reservoirs of potentially pathogenic and drug-resistant microorganisms and highlight the need for routine disinfection, hand-hygiene provision, and antimicrobial-resistance surveillance in urban transport systems.