Detection and characterization of micro-organisms linked to unsealed drugs sold in Ihiagwa community, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The contamination of pharmaceutical products by micro-organisms poses a significant risk to public health. This study was conducted to detect and characterize micro-organisms associated with unsealed drugs sold in Ihiagwa community in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. A variety of microbiological techniques were employed to analyse samples from unsealed drug containers. The identification process involved morphological, biochemical and sugar utilization methods, aiding in the accurate determination of microbial species. Microbial contamination was observed in 42 (84 %) out of 50 samples, with contaminants including bacteria and fungi. The range of contamination is between 1.2±0.01×10³ and 2.3±0.02×10³ c.f.u. ml^-1 for viable count, 0.1±0.02×10² and 0.3±0.01×10² c.f.u. g^-1 for coliform count and 0.2±0.01×10¹ and 0.5±0.01×10¹ c.f.u. g^-1 for fungi count. The identified microbes were <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, <i>Candida albicans</i> and <i>Aspergillus niger</i>. The most common bacterial isolate was <i>S. aureus</i> (51.8 %), while <i>C. albicans</i> (73.3 %) was the most prevalent fungus. Among the pharmacies and healthcare facilities examined, the Uchems pharmacy had the highest proportion of bacterial isolates (37 %), followed by the Stepwise pharmacy (22.2 %), while the lowest proportion was found at the Roseline Health Clinic (7.4 %). The identification of potentially harmful micro-organisms in these unsealed drug container samples emphasizes the importance of stringent quality control measures and improved handling, storage and packaging practices to ensure product safety and efficacy, especially among pharmacetical dealers.