MICRO-ORGANISMS FOUND IN SHOES WORN BY CHILDREN WORSHIPPING AT ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC CHURCH NEKEDE

The present study was undertaken to investigate the Micro-organisms found in shoes worn by children worshipping at all Saints Catholic Church Nekede Imo State. A total of thirty (30) samples were collected from the volunteers, fifteen (15) were used for bacteria isolation and the other fifteen (15) were used for fungi isolation. Out of the 55 isolates, 12 were Gram positive cocci in clusters, 13 were Gram negative rods, 10 were Gram positive rods and 20 were fungi. The results showed that all the Gram positive cocci in cluster were Staphylococcus aureus 12(21•8%). Among the 13 Gram negative rods, 6(46•2%) were klebsiella pneumoniae, 4(30•8%) were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 3(23•0%) were Escherichia coli. Also all the 10 Gram positive rods isolated were found to be Bacillus spp. 10(18•2%). The study also indicated that among the 20 fungi isolates, 9(45•0%) were yeast cells, 7(35•0%) were Rhizopus and 4(20•0%) were Mucor, Showing that the most common infection of children who wear shoes and socks is the fungal infections of foot skin as there is no proper circulation of air.