HOUSEFLY (MUSCA DOMESTICA) AS A CARRIER OF PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS IN HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENTS IN CALABAR, NIGERIA
Keywords:
Vectors, contamination, pathogenic bacteria, nosocomial infectionsAbstract
House flies are carriers of microorganisms, some of which are pathogenic. They are present and can be observed in many human-inhabited environments including hospital environments, where they contribute to the nosocomial infections. This work aimed at isolating and identifying potential pathogenic bacteria from flies in 2 prominent hospitals in Calabar, Nigeria. One hundred and fifty flies from each of the hospitals (University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) and General Hospital Calabar (GHC)) were sampled and examined bacteriologically for the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Obtained pathogens were subjected to antibiotic sensitivity testing. A total of 137 and 70 pathogens were isolated from the flies obtained from UCTH and GHC, respectively. At both hospitals, Escherichia coli was the most prevalent, 46 (34%) at UCTH and 26 (37%) at the GHC, followed by the enteropathogens, Salmonella and Shigella. Some of the houseflies that were tested harboured more than 1 potential pathogen. At UCTH, 50 of the 150 flies presented this phenomenon, while 20 flies did the same at the GHC. The commonest pattern of polypathogen harbourage was Escherichia coli-Pseudomonas aeruginosa: 15 (30%) at UCTH and 7 (35%) at the GHC. Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas isolates obtained at both hospitals were mainly responsive to pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and streptomycin but completely resistant to ampicillin/cloxacillin and Septrin. Houseflies are confirmed to be potential vectors of pathogenic organisms within the hospitals in Calabar; therefore, regular hospital hygiene, and fly reduction and elimination programmes should be regularly practised to reduce the rate of fly-borne nosocomial infections.
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