Assessment of potential pathogenic bacterial load and multidrug resistance in locally manufactured cosmetics commonly used in Dhaka metropolis

In Bangladesh cosmetics are being produced disregarding the Good Manufacturing Practices. So, this study aimed to test the level and nature of bacterial contamination of such cosmetics. A total of 27 cosmetics comprising eight lipsticks, nine powders, and ten creams were bought from New Market and Tejgaon areas of Dhaka city and tested. Bacteria was detected in 85.2% of samples. Majority of the samples (77.8%) exceeded the limit given by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella spp.) and Gram-positive bacteria (species of Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Bacillus and Listeria monocytogenes) were identified. Hemolysis was observed in 66.7% Gram-positive and 25% Gram-negative bacteria. Multidrug resistance was tested in 165 randomly selected isolates. Every species of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria exhibited varying levels of multidrug resistance. The highest levels of antibiotic resistance were in broad-spectrum antibiotics (ampicillin, azithromycin, cefepime, ciprofloxacin and meropenem) and narrow-spectrum Gram-negative antibiotics (aztreonam and colistin). Multidrug resistance was 12–78% in Gram-negative bacteria and 12–100% in Gram-positive bacteria. Coagulase and DNase were identified in 97.5% and 5.1% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates respectively. Our findings indicate that these cosmetics pose a risk to the public’s health.