RENT A CAR AND/OR DVD AND GET ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA FOR FREE Ghenghesh KS., Nashnoush H., Shaker A., and El-Naami MM. Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science, Tripoli University Tripoli-Libya

INTRODUCTION Inanimate common objects touched by people (toys, computer keyboards, door knobs, etc) may transmit bacterial infections particularly in hospitals as well as in the community. Recently the number of rent a car agencies as well as DVD rental shops has increased tremendously all over the country particularly in the main cities of Libya (Tripoli and Benghazi). The aim of the present work was to isolate and identify the bacteria from the surfaces of steering wheels of rented cars and rented DVDs and determine the susceptibility of the isolated bacteria to antibiotics.

METHODS Using sterile moistened swabs two samples were obtained from each steering wheel (SW) of 30 cars (20 rented) and from 60 rented DVDs. Samples were plated on Mannitol Salt agar for isolation of staphylococci, MacConkey agar and Salmonella-Shigella agar (SSA) for salmonellae, shigellae and other enterobacteria, Blood agar for streptoccoci and Pseudomonas spp., and inoculated into Selenite F broth (SF) and Alkaline Peptone water (APW, pH 8.6, enrichment for Aeromonas). After overnight incubation at 37°C, loopsful from SF and APW were plated on SSA and BA supplemented with 15mg ampicillin, respectively. Suspected colonies were identified using standard bacteriological procedures and API 20NE whenever appropriate. Susceptibility of isolated organisms to antibiotics was carried out by the disc diffusion method.

RESULTS

Bacteria isolated from steering wheels of cars and rented DVDs No (%) positive No (%) positive Bacteria SWs DVDs (n=30) (n=60) S. aureus 20 (67)35 (58.3) S. epidermidis 7 (23.3)20 (33.3) Pseudomonas 1 (3.3) 3 (5) aeruginosa aeruginosa Bacillus species 10 (33)23 (38.3) Gram-negative rods - 7 (11.7) Gram-negative cocci - 1 (1.7)

Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from steering wheels of cars and rented DVDs No. (%) resistant No. (%) resistant Antibiotic SWs DVDs (n=20) (n=35) (n=20) (n=35) Ampicillin18 (90) 20 (57.1) Methicillin (MRSA) 0 (0.0) 4 (11.4) Erythromycin 6 (30) 17 (48.6) Tetracycline 4 (20) 5 (14.3) Fusidic acid 7 (35) 24 (68.6) Ciprofloxacin 0 (0.0) 1 (2.9) Vancomycin 0 (0.0)0 (0.0)

CONCLUSION

Multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria are not uncommon on the surfaces of SWs (of rented cars) and of rented DVDs.

Can steering wheels of rented cars transmit antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the community?

Can rented DVDs transmit antibiotic- resistant bacteria in the community?

These inanimate objects may play a role in the transmission of multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the community.

More ?s

How we can make a bug’s life on SW and DVD hard?

Wash hands with soap and running water after using a rented car and/or DVD Disinfect SWs and DVDs before use with pre-injection swabs –MediSawbs, Sterets, others. Designing surfaces that kill bacteria on contact –Amino glass slides acylated with acryloyl chloride, copolymerized with 4-vinylpyridine, and N-alkylated with different alkyl bromides (porpyl to hexadecyl). –The resultant surfaces, depending on the alkyl group were able to kill up to % of S. aureus cells sprayed on them.

THANK YOU