@article{Uzeh_Alayande_2019, title={EFFECT OF ANTISEPTICS AGAINST STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS ON THE HANDS OF FOOD HANDLERS AND SUSCEPTIBILITY OF PERSISTENT STRAINS TO ANTIBIOTICS}, volume={7}, url={http://ujmst.unilag.edu.ng/article/view/550}, abstractNote={<p>Effect of antiseptics against Staphylococcus aureus on the hands of food handlers was investigated.<br>The palms of 50 food handlers in restaurants of a tertiary institution in Lagos, Nigeria were swabbed<br>before and after the use of antiseptics and analysed for the presence and population of<br>Staphylococcus aureus. Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) plates were inoculated with the swab sticks and<br>incubated at 37oC for 24-48h. S. aureus was identified by the production of golden yellow colonies<br>on MSA, Gram positive cocci in bunches that were catalase and coagulase positive, and oxidase<br>negative. A total of 2.2 × 103<br>cfu/ml/5cm2 were obtained before the use of antiseptics and 3.79 ×<br>102<br>cfu/ml/5cm2 after the use of antiseptics. Antiseptics had 83% reduction on S. aureus. Of the two<br>antiseptics used, chloroxylenol (4.8%) had a 69% effect while alcohol gel proved to be more<br>effective with a 90% reduction on S. aureus. A total of 41(82%) out of the 50 food handlers had S.<br>aureus on their palms. The antibiotics susceptibility of S. aureus was investigated. Vancomycin<br>(30μg) was the most resisted antibiotics with 57% followed by 28% resistance against oxacillin (1μ)<br>18% against cefoxitine (30μ). The food handlers may therefore be considered potential source of<br>multidrug resistant S. aureus in food. We therefore recommend that they use antiseptics on their<br>palms since this helped in the reduction of staphylococcal population.</p&gt;}, number={2}, journal={UNILAG Journal of Medicine, Science and Technology}, author={Uzeh, R. E and Alayande, T. D}, year={2019}, month={Dec.}, pages={34 - 42} }