BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF AUTOMATED TELLER MACHINE (ATM) AMONG VARIOUS BANKS IN UMUAHIA METROPOLIS

LIST OF TABLES

Table        Title                                                      Page

1          Types of Bacteria Isolates Obtained from Various Banks                                         22

2          Bacterial Diversity and Degree of Contamination of user Hardware

            Interface in Various Banks                                                                                                  23

3          Differentiation of Isolates from Study by Gram Staining                                          25

4          Morphological Identification of Isolates                                                                    26

5          Biochemical Identification of Isolates                                                                        27

6          Percentage of Occurrence of Isolates in Various Banks                                            28

7          Antibiotics Susceptibility of the Bacterial Isolates from Various

            ATM  Machine in Umuahia Metropolis.                                                                    29

8          Assessment of Bacterial Count from Various Bank of Each ATM Buttons                        30

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure    Title                                                                 Page

1            Bacteria Isolates from First Bank                                                                                               39

2            Bacteria Isolates from Eco Bank and Zenith Bank                                                                39

3            Bacteria Isolates from Microfinance Bank and UBA                                                            39

4            Bacteria Isolates from Access Bank                                                                                           39

5            Bacteria Isolates from Diamond Bank                                                                                      40

6            Antibiotics Susceptibility Test                                                                                                    40

7            Bacteria Isolates from Fidelity Bank                                                                                         40

8            Bacteria Isolates from Keystone Bank                                                                                      40

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

The presence of viable pathogenic bacteria on inanimate objects is a matter of significance. Several studies of the human environment have demonstrated colonization and contamination of objects such as door handles, faucets, phones, money, fabrics and plastics (Bures et al., 2001). People come into daily contact with all sorts of fomites, with an increasing rate of bacteria infection (Eguia et al., 2003). Human beings have a marked tendency to pick up microorganisms from environmental objects and the hand has shown to play a role in the transmission of organisms has been reported as a potential vehicle for their transmission (Neely and Maley, 2000; Fraser et al., 2009; Gholemreza et al., 2009). Furthermore, microorganisms found to contaminate fomites have also been shown to persist on environmental surfaces for varying period of time ranging from hours to months ant it has also been illustrated that they can still be detected and recovered from surfaces after routine conventional cleaning (French et al., 2004). In addition, cross infection of microorganisms between environmental surfaces and a host has equally been established (Hardly et al., 2006). The ability of plastics and other inanimate objects to support viable microorganisms for a prolonged period of time is well documented (Stuart et al., 2006) and such environmental surfaces and objects, especially those in close proximity with persons and frequently touched, pose a threat to human health and are a cause for concern. One such inanimate object in the environment that is currently in frequent contact with the hands is the interface of a computer system or an Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

Bacteria that can cause severe gastroenteritis have been found on ATM machine keypads/buttons. (Roxyburgh et al., 2005) demonstrate that germs can be readily transferred from your hands to almost any frequently used surface. The role of fomites in the transmission of disease remains a controversial subject. Some epidemiological studies have suggests that contaminated surfaces may play a role in the spread of respiratory viruses and laboratory studies have reported this hypothesis (Hendley et al., 1973; Reed et al., 1975; Hall et al., 1980). Other studies have implicated emvironmental surfaces in the transmission of bacteria ( Bures et al., 2000; Ekanem et al., 1983; Manning et al., 2001). However, the role of environmental surfaces in the transmission of disease remains an issue of scientific debate and fundamental reformation concerning the microbial transfer rates from environmental surfaces to the hands and from the hands to the mouth remains scarce.

Accordingly, these may be additional reservoirs for the transmission of microorganisms and become vehicles for cross contamination. Disinfection of surfaces is necessary to prevent infections from transient surfaces especially surfaces that the hand comes in contact with mostly and frequently.

Dr. Richard Hastings, the Microbiologist for Bio Cote, a built-in antibacterial product coating said. ‘We are surprised by our results because the ATM machines were shown to be heavily contaminated with bacteria: to the same level as nearby public lavatories”. Many factors have been shown to influence the bacteria transfers between surfaces, including the sources and destination surface feature, bacteria species involved, moisture levels, pressure and friction between the contact surfaces and Inoculum size on surfaces (Rusin et al., 2002) also showed that snacks eaten with the finger can easily be cross contaminated by bacteria from the hands after handling dirty notes. It has also be shown that, microbes once attached to hands and to some surfaces may survive for a while and may be difficult to remove (Hood et al., 1997; Filho et al., 1987). However, personal hygiene and good hand washing technique have been found to be an effective method of preventing the transmission of pathogens through fomites such as ATM machine. Our study majorly depends upon the microbial assessments on ATMs. Swabs samples from ATM buttons surface were collected from various Banks in Umuahia metropolis.

1.1       BACKGROUND STUDIES

Hand contact surfaces on ATM machine including ATM buttons are heavily contaminated with microbes of faecal origin. Most times even where hand washing occurs after toilet use, tap handles and the door handles can re-contaminate the hands. These fomites are found to be of tremendous transmission of pathogens from the gastrointestinal tract.

1.2       AIM

·       To evaluate the presence or absence of pathogenic bacteria on various ATM machine buttons from different banks in Umuahia metropolis.

1.3       OBJECTIVES

Ø  To determine various types and frequency of bacterial isolates on ATM machine

Ø  To determine their antibiotics susceptibility of bacterial isolates from various ATM machine in umuahia metropolis.

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