Threats and Treasure in the Use of Human Jewelry Using Microbial Analysis

This study aims at examining the prevalence of microbial contamination of human jewelries and determining the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates. Fifty pieces of gold jewelries comprising 25necklaces and wristwatches each that have not been washed for over four months pre-study were swabbed from volunteer students. Total viable bacteria, coliforms and fungal count were obtained on nutrient agar, MacConkey agar and potato dextrose agar respectively. Pure isolates obtained were characterized in accordance with standard procedures. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the bacterial isolates were determined using Kirby-Bauer. Necklace samples recorded total viable bacteria count (TVBC) ranged from 1.4 x 10⁴ to 4.3 x 10⁴ cfu/ml while total coliform counts ranged from 0 to 2.9 x 10³ cfu/ml. Fungal counts ranged from 1.1 x 10³ to 3.1 x 10³ cfu/ml. In wristwatch samples, TVBC ranged from 1.3 x 10⁴ to 3.6 x 10⁴ cfu/ml and TCC ranged from 0 to 1.8 x 10⁴ cfu/ml while fungal counts ranged from 1.2 x 10³ to 2.7 x 10³ cfu/ml. Bacteria isolates include; Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella species, while fungi include Aspergillus niger, Alternaria species, Penicillus species and Epidermophyton species. Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus species were resistance to septrin, amoxicillin, gentamicin and tarivids while Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella species and Proteus species were susceptible to sparfloxacin. All isolates were susceptible to augmentin and perfloxacin. This study revealed that pieces of necklaces and wristwatches could be colonized by pathogenic microorganisms. It is therefore very pertinent to regularly sanitize jewelries.