International Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology

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Quantification, Variability Assessment of Bacterial Pollution and Public Health Hazards Linked to Users of Automated Teller Machines in Ekpoma, Edo State-Nigeria

Received: 05 February 2020    Accepted: 21 February 2020    Published: 02 March 2020
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Abstract

Raising number of mortals has used automated teller machines (ATMs) over the years, but little is known about their microbial colonization status. Based on this premise, we examined eight out of the nine commercial bank’s ATM in Ekpoma environs for quantification, variability assessment of the bacterial cross contamination and the likely health hazards linked to the users of such cash dispensing machines. A total number of sixteen (16) samples were acquired from eight different commercial banks ATM keypads and screens within the study area, using sterile swab sticks immersed in sterile normal saline. Samples were subsequently transferred to the laboratory section of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma for analyses using standard microbiological procedures for isolation, quantification and identification between the period of September to October 2019. Results showed that the total aerobic bacteria count, Staphylococcus aureus and coliforms counts on both the ATM keypads and Screens ranged from 9.0 × 103±2.65 cfu/m2 to 1.92 × 104±3.61 cfu/m2, 3.5 × 103±1.73 cfu/m2 to 9.8 × 103±4.58 cfu/m2 and 4.8 × 103±1.00 cfu/m2 to 1.08 × 104±2.00 cfu/m2 respectively. One-way Anova depicted a no significant difference (P ˃ 0.05) in the total aerobic bacterial plate count, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus counts in the various banks’ ATM keypads and screens in respectively of the facilities placement and the number of users. The bacteria implicated in this study were Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp, Klebsiella pnuemoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus spp and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. The findings from this study reveals that high volume of bacterial pollution were detected on ATM hardware user interface which invariably necessitated the need for adequate personal hygiene by both the users and custodians of such machines with a view to reducing the likely hood of spreading contagious agents.

DOI 10.11648/j.ijmb.20200501.16
Published in International Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology (Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2020)
Page(s) 34-40
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Microorganisms, Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Public Health, Cross-Contamination and Pathogenic Bacteria

References
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[10] Onuoha, S. C. and Kayode, F. (2014). Bacterial Contamination and Public Health Risk Associated with the user of Banks' Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. American Journal of Public Health, 2 (2): 46-50.
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[13] Okun, R. and Okosun, M. (1990). An Overview of the Esan West Local Government. The Journal for geographical placement for Ekpoma community, 15 (4): 259-265.
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[15] Bray, R., Fraser, S., Dunlop, M., Paterson-Brown, S. and Gibb, A. (2007). Bacterial contamination of mobile communication devices in the operative environment. Journal of Hospital Infection, 66 (4): 397-398.
[16] Mbajiuka, C. (2015). Isolation and Identification of microorganisms associated with the use of automated teller machine (ATM) in Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and its environs. World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 4 (8): 85-99.
[17] Brooks, G. P., Carroll, K. C., Butel, J. S. and Morse, S. A. (2007). Microscopy and Stains, In: Jawetz, Melnick and Adelberg’s Medical Microbiology. 4th Ed. USA: McGraw-Hill: 700-701.
[18] Hardy, K. J., Oppenheim, B. A., Gossain, S., Gao, F. and Hawkey, P. M. (2006): Study of the Relationship between Environmental Contamination with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Patients’ Acquistion of MRSA. Infectious Control of Hospital Epidemiology, 27 (2): 127-132.
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Author Information
  • Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria

  • Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria

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    Osatohanmwen Osarenmwinda, Omoike Ofure Blessing. (2020). Quantification, Variability Assessment of Bacterial Pollution and Public Health Hazards Linked to Users of Automated Teller Machines in Ekpoma, Edo State-Nigeria. International Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 5(1), 34-40. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmb.20200501.16

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    Osatohanmwen Osarenmwinda; Omoike Ofure Blessing. Quantification, Variability Assessment of Bacterial Pollution and Public Health Hazards Linked to Users of Automated Teller Machines in Ekpoma, Edo State-Nigeria. Int. J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2020, 5(1), 34-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmb.20200501.16

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    Osatohanmwen Osarenmwinda, Omoike Ofure Blessing. Quantification, Variability Assessment of Bacterial Pollution and Public Health Hazards Linked to Users of Automated Teller Machines in Ekpoma, Edo State-Nigeria. Int J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2020;5(1):34-40. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmb.20200501.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijmb.20200501.16,
      author = {Osatohanmwen Osarenmwinda and Omoike Ofure Blessing},
      title = {Quantification, Variability Assessment of Bacterial Pollution and Public Health Hazards Linked to Users of Automated Teller Machines in Ekpoma, Edo State-Nigeria},
      journal = {International Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology},
      volume = {5},
      number = {1},
      pages = {34-40},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijmb.20200501.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmb.20200501.16},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmb.20200501.16},
      abstract = {Raising number of mortals has used automated teller machines (ATMs) over the years, but little is known about their microbial colonization status. Based on this premise, we examined eight out of the nine commercial bank’s ATM in Ekpoma environs for quantification, variability assessment of the bacterial cross contamination and the likely health hazards linked to the users of such cash dispensing machines. A total number of sixteen (16) samples were acquired from eight different commercial banks ATM keypads and screens within the study area, using sterile swab sticks immersed in sterile normal saline. Samples were subsequently transferred to the laboratory section of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma for analyses using standard microbiological procedures for isolation, quantification and identification between the period of September to October 2019. Results showed that the total aerobic bacteria count, Staphylococcus aureus and coliforms counts on both the ATM keypads and Screens ranged from 9.0 × 103±2.65 cfu/m2 to 1.92 × 104±3.61 cfu/m2, 3.5 × 103±1.73 cfu/m2 to 9.8 × 103±4.58 cfu/m2 and 4.8 × 103±1.00 cfu/m2 to 1.08 × 104±2.00 cfu/m2 respectively. One-way Anova depicted a no significant difference (P ˃ 0.05) in the total aerobic bacterial plate count, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus counts in the various banks’ ATM keypads and screens in respectively of the facilities placement and the number of users. The bacteria implicated in this study were Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp, Klebsiella pnuemoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus spp and Coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. The findings from this study reveals that high volume of bacterial pollution were detected on ATM hardware user interface which invariably necessitated the need for adequate personal hygiene by both the users and custodians of such machines with a view to reducing the likely hood of spreading contagious agents.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Quantification, Variability Assessment of Bacterial Pollution and Public Health Hazards Linked to Users of Automated Teller Machines in Ekpoma, Edo State-Nigeria
    AU  - Osatohanmwen Osarenmwinda
    AU  - Omoike Ofure Blessing
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    JF  - International Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
    JO  - International Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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