Assessment of Microbial Contaminations Associated with Steering Wheels and Palms of Commercial Drivers at the University of Cape Coast’s Taxi Rank

Abstract

Aims: The study aimed at enumerating, identifying and showing similarities and variation of microbial species found on the palms of drivers and steering wheels.  Methodology: Twenty-one (21) samples each from steering and palms were randomly collected into sterile bags and transported to the microbiology laboratory of the Department of Laboratory Technology for microbial analyses. Samples were cultured on Plate Count Agar (PCA), McConkey and Sabouraud Dextrose agar (SDA) for enumerations and identifications of total viable counts, bacteria and yeast and molds, respectively. Results: Steering wheels had the highest microbial load (9.48 x105cfu/ml) whilst the palms of drivers had the lowest (8.88 x 105 cfu/ml) and that all 42 samples (100%) investigated were contaminated. A total of 163 bacteria of eight (8) different genera were obtained from both steering wheels and palms as well as sixty-two (62) fungi species made of five (5) different genera were also obtained. Bacterial isolates included Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus spp, Bacillus spp, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Citrobacter spp and Enterococcus faecalis. For fungal genera, Altenaria alternata, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp, Candida spp were isolated. The steering wheels had higher bacterial and fungal contaminations than the palms of the drivers which showed no significant difference (P = 0.0832). This indicates that though there were numerical difference in contamination load, their effects were independent of each other. Conclusion: This study confirms the contamination of fomites by microbes and the assertion that fomites are sources of transmission of many diseases.