Comparative Studies on the Antibacterial Activity of Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Against Bacteria Isolates from the Hands of Undergraduate Students of University of Agriculture, Makurdi

Abstract

The study identified the species of bacteria on the hands of undergraduate students of University of Agriculture, Makurdi. Susceptibility tests of the isolates to 5 different alcohol-based hand sanitizers (Lovillea®, Dettol®, Passion®, Y-Senses® and My care®) was done. 50 Hand swabs taken from the hands of male and female students were analyzed microbiologically. The most prevalent bacteria isolated were E. coli 47(94%), Staphylococcus epidermidis 42(84%), Proteus sp 32(64%), Klebsiella sp 31(62%), Shigella sp 25(50%), Staphylococcus aureus 18(36%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi 15(30%) and Enterobacter aerogenes 11(22%) from males and females. Lovillea® and Y senses® hand sanitizers showed better efficacy against the isolates. Passion® sanitizer inhibited the growth of nine isolates with the highest zone of inhibition against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus epidermidis (10 mm) and least against Salmonella sp. Dettol® inhibited growth E. coli (10 mm) and the least against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and S. epidermidis were resistant. My care® hand sanitizer showed the least antimicrobial activity inhibited the growth of only 3 isolates, with the highest zone of inhibition against S. aureus and Enterobacter aerogenes (5 mm); E. coli, S. pyogenes, Salmonella sp, Klebsiella sp, Proteus sp, Pseudomonas spp, S. epidermidis were all resistant. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the susceptible organisms was (0.5 ml) on Salmonella sp, E. aerogenes, Klebsiella sp and S. epidermidis. There was no significant difference in the antibacterial activity of the sanitizers.