Isoalation of Multidrug Resistant Bacterial Pathogens from Human Hair Obtained from Barbing Salons Located within Benin City, Nigeria

This study was carried out to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of bacterial pathogens isolated from human hair in barbing salon. Hair samples were collected from ten different barbing saloons in Benin City and immediately transported to the laboratory for microbiological analysis using pour plate isolation method. Isolated bacteria were identified based on their cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristic. Antibiotics sensitivity was carried out using commercially available antibiotic disks. Total bacteria counts ranged from 2.80x104±0.8cfu/g to 6.13x104±0.21 cfu/g. Bacterial isolated included Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus viridians and Corynebacterium sp. The least occurring bacteria were Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris with percentage distribution of 40% each while the most widely distributed was Corynebacterium sp. (80%). All the bacterial isolates were observed to be multiple drug resistant. The most effective drugs were sparfloxacin, perfloxacin, gentamicin, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. This study has shown that high densities of multiple drug resistant pathogenic bacteria are usually associated with human hair.