ANTIBIOGRAM AND CONVENTIONAL HAEMOLYTIC VIRULENCE POTENTIAL OF BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINES IN OTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
Bacteria are widespread in the environment and can survive on, or even thrive on, surfaces, including Automated Teller Machine (ATM) terminals. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of bacteria isolated from automated teller machines of commercial banks in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, with special reference to their antibiograms and conventional haemolytic virulence potential. A total of thirteen (13) swab samples were collected from different Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in four commercial banks in Ota, Ado-Odo Ota Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria. All swab samples were processed in duplicate. Gram staining, biochemical tests, haemolysis tests, and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) were performed on the bacterial isolates. Of the 26 cultured samples, three (3) different bacteria were isolated. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were the most prevalent, each occurring in 38.5%, while Pseudomonas spp. was the least prevalent (23%). Of the bacteria tested, all (100%) were resistant to ceftazidime (CAZ) and ceftriaxone (CTR); 84.6% and 65.5% of isolates were resistant to ampicillin-clavulanic acid and ofloxacin, respectively. Furthermore, 84.6% (22/26) of all isolates were resistant to ≥ 3 classes. Alpha haemolysis was observed in 11.5% (3/26), beta haemolysis in 34.6% (9/26), and gamma haemolysis in 53.9% (14/26). Complete (beta – β) haemolysis was most prevalent in Staphylococcus aureus (77.8%). However, there was no significant association between haemolysis pattern and antibiotic resistance status (P-value=.1445). The current findings demonstrate that ATM keypads may be contaminated with Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., and beta (β) haemolytic Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, these keypads may serve as platforms for cross-contamination with antibiotic-resistant strains. As a result, proper cleaning methods should be developed for all automated teller machines. Further work should incorporate molecular detection of haemolysis-associated genes to confirm the haemolytic potential of the bacterial isolates.
Keywords: Bacteria, ATMs, Haemolysis, Keypads, Virulence
