Objective: To determine and identify pathogenic bacteria on solid surfaces in clinical and teaching laboratories in four selected universities in Jordan.
Methodology: This study was conducted in biology, microbiology, hematology, and anatomy laboratories at four Jordanian universities. Solid surfaces (bench tops, seats, sinks, tap water handles, and doorknobs) were swabbed and cultured on nutrient agar as non selective medium and incubated aerobically at 37 °C for 48 hours.
Results: Four types from gram-negative (G-ve) bacteria, and five types of gram-positive (G+ve) bacteria were found to be present in the swabbed surfaces. Identified bacterial included E. coli spp, Shigella sonnei, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella oxytoca, Staphylococcus epidermis, Staphylococcus Aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus subtilis.
Conclusion: The identified bacterial species isolated from the exposed surfaces of the teaching laboratories suggests that such surfaces are indeed potential fomites. However, some of the bacterial isolates are not of a pathological concern to healthy individuals.
Key words: Contamination, fomites, medical laboratories, pathogenic bacteria.
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