Detection and Characterization of Microorganisms Linked to Unsealed drugs Sold in Ihiagwa Community, Owerri, Imo State

Abstract

The contamination of pharmaceutical products by microorganisms poses a significant risk to public health. This study was conducted to detect and characterise microorganisms associated with unsealed drugs sold in Ihiagwa community in Owerri, Imo State. A variety of microbiological techniques were employed to analyze samples from unsealed drug containers. The identification process involved morphological, biochemical, and sugar utilisation methods, aiding in the accurate determination of microbial species. Microbial contamination was observed in 42 (84%) out of 50 samples, contaminants included bacteria and fungi. The range of contamination is between 1.2±0.01 × 103 to 2.3±0.02 × 103 cfu/ml for viable count, 0.1±0.02 × 102 to 0.3±0.01 × 102 cfu/g for coliform count and 0.2±0.01 × 101 to 0.5±0.01 × 101 cfu/g for fungi count. The identified microbes were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The most common bacterial isolate was Staphylococcus aureus (51.8%), while Candida albicans (73.3%) was the most prevalent fungi. Among the pharmacies and healthcare facilities examined, the Uchems pharmacy had the highest bacterial isolates of 37%, followed by Stepwise pharmacy (22.2%) and the least was Roseline health clinic that recorded 7.4%. The identification of potentially harmful microorganisms in these unsealed drug container samples emphasize the importance of stringent quality control measures, improved handling, storage, and packaging practices to ensure product safety and efficacy especially among drug dealers.