Enteric bacteria, methicillin resistant S. aureus and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns from buses surfaces in Mekelle city, Tigray, Ethiopia

OBJECTIVE: To assess the enteric bacteria, methicillin resistant S. aureus and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns from buses surfaces in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia. RESULTS: A total of 300 swab samples were collected from the handle surfaces of the six city buses. The bacterial isolates revealed from the swab samples were E. coli, Enterobacter spp. and S. aureus. The overall positivity rates of E. coli, Enterobacter spp. and S. aureus were 8 (4%), 4 (1.3%) and 54 (18%) respectively. Methicillin resistant S. aureus was seen in 17 (5.7%) of the total 300 swab samples collected and 17 (31.5%) of the S. aureus isolates. All (100%) of the isolates of E. coli and Enterobacter spp. showed resistance for ampicillin and three-fourth of the isolates of E. coli and Enterobacter spp. displayed resistance for chloramphenicol (75%). Five antimicrobials (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and cotrimoxazole) have showed resistant for one isolate of E. coli. Likewise four antimicrobials (ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and cotrimoxazole) have revealed resistant for one isolate of Enterobacter spp. Moreover, three isolates of S. aureus were also found resistance to four antibiotics.