+44 330 818 7254A.H. Kawo, Y.U. Dabai, S.B. Manga and G.J. Garba
The occurrence of bacteria on contact surfaces of eight randomly-selected secondary schools (coded A-H) in Sokoto metropolis, north-western Nigeria was determined using standard methods. A total of five hundred and sixty (560) samples from the eight (8) study sites (A-H) comprising of ten (10) samples each from the toilets, doors, computers, walls, chairs, tables and hands of students (contact surfaces) were randomly taken and analysed using bilotting and standard plate count techniques respectively. The samples were collected using sterile swab sticks. From the results obtained, the highest bacterial count of 6.91 x 107 cfu/ml was obtained from toilets in site A while the least was in sites A, G and H each with 8.57 x 106 cfu/ml. The bacteria isolated and identified using cultural, morphological and biochemical methods included Staphylococcus aureus (60.0), Streptococcus faecalis (5.0), Escherichia coli (20.0), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (10.0) and the species of Micrococcus (3.0) and Klebsiella (2.0) The implications of the results in relation to human health have been discussed. Suggestions have been made on how to improve the health conditions of the students in particular and the school environments in general.
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