ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA FROM THE EARS OF BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, MAKURDI

Ear infections are one of the most frequent diseases of ear, nose and throat (ENT) disorders. A middle ear infection originates when bacteria enter through auditory tube and become trapped inside the inner ear. This study was aimed at the isolation and identification of bacteria from the ears of Benue State University students, Makurdi. One hundred and twenty (120) ear swabs from the outer and middle ear were collected under a strict aseptic technique using a sterile cotton swab from each student, the samples were pre-enriched in trypticase soy broth (TSB) and sub-cultured on Blood Agar, Manitol Salt Agar (MSA) and MacConkey agar (MCA) after incubation at 37°C for 18-24hrs, a total of 9 bacteria pathogens were isolated and identified. They were: Staphylococcus epidermidis, which had the highest occurrence of 70 representing 29.29%, Staphylococcus saprophyticus 53(22. 18%), Staphylococcus aureus 51(21.34%), Escherichia coli 35(14.64%), Streptococcus pneumoniae 15(6.28%), Streptococcus pyogens 6(2.51%), Enterococcus faecalis 4(1.67%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 4(1.67%) and Proteus mirabilis which had the least occurrence of 1(0.42%). There was a highly significant bacteria occurrence in relation to the species observed (=63.520; df = 8; P = 0.000). Western Wing and Eastern Wing equally recorded the highest occurrence base on location 61(25.25%) with off campus having the least 58(24.27%). However, there was no significant relationship between the locations in the study area (y'= 19.09; df= 24; P =0.747). Based on sex, the result showed that all the 59 male students sampled had their ears contaminated with one bacterium or the other. Similarly, all the 61 female students (61%) were also infected. No significant relationship between bacterial contamination and sex was observed (= 0.000; df =1; P= 1.000). Based on the different bacteria isolated from the ears of students, it can be recommended that introduction of foreign objects and poking of the ear should be discouraged and personal hygiene encouraged.