Microbial Contamination of Applied Instrument in Female Hair-Dressers Salon in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

Hairdresser’s salons are public places that can contribute to the spread of viral, fungi and bacterial pathogens. However, little is known about the contamination of hairdressing tools by bacterial and fungal pathogens. Hence, this study was conducted to determine bacterial and fungal contaminants of tools used in hairdressing salons within Wukari metropolis, Taraba State. Eighty (80) different samples were collected from combs, brushes, rollers, and hairdryers used in hairdressing salons using sterile swab stick moistened with normal saline. Samples were cultured aerobically on nutrient agar, MacConkey agar, and sheep blood agar for bacterial isolation and potato dextrose agar for fungal isolation. Bacterial isolates were identified using conventional biochemical tests while fungal isolates were identified on the basis of their cell wall structure using the lactophenol cotton blue stain. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates was tested using the modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Sixty-seven (83.75%) of the collected sample were positive for bacterial and/or fungal contamination, yielding twenty-two (22) and eighteen (18) isolates each of bacteria and fungi. The bacterial isolates were Staphylococcus aureus (81.82%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (13.64%), and Escherichia coli (4.64%) while the fungal isolates were Aspergillus fumigatus (31.25%), Aspergillus flavus (50%), Aspergillus niger (6.25%), Madurella grisea (6.25%), and Rhizopus stolonifera (6.25%). Bacterial isolates were generally sensitive to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, rifampicin, ofloxacin, and streptomycin. The highest resistances were against cefuroxime, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, and augmentin. The presence of these microorganisms on hairdressing tools is an indication of poor hygienic practices among hairstylists in Wukari and these tools can serve as vehicles for the transmission of bacterial pathogens. Hence, appropriate measures should be taken to reduce the microbial load from hairdressing salons instruments.