MICROBIAL ASSESSMENT OF SOME PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS SOLD IN BENIN CITY: PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATION
Oviasogie FE, Igbinosa EO*, and Evbuomwan RO
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, P.M.B 1154 Benin City, Nigeria
May-June 2015; Vol. 7 (issue 1): 45-49
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out to evaluate the microbial quality of some pharmaceutical products sold by vendors in Benin City metropolis and to determine the level of contamination of the drugs. The drug samples examined were sealed and unsealed products of chloramphenicol, tetracycline, ampicillin, metronidazole and paracetamol. The bacterial density were as follows:1.0×103 ± 2.2 cfu/g tetracycline (unsealed); 1.8×103 ± 1.0 cfu/g ampicillin (sealed); 2.3×103 ± 2.6 cfu/g metronidazole (sealed); 3.0×103 ± 4.2 cfu/g metronidazole (unsealed), 4.1×103 ± 1.0 cfu/g parecetamol (sealed) and 4.8×103 ± 1.0 cfu/g parecetamol (unsealed). Total coliform count was observed in only sealed metronidazole samples as 1.0×103 ± 2.2 cfu/g. The bacteria isolated were identified as Bacillus subtilis, Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Klebsiella pneumonia. The bacteria density obtained in the sampled drugs is worrisome as this could impair treatment outcomes. Also, the pathogenic bacteria such as Proteus mirabilis and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated s from some drugs samples are a potential risk to public health.
KEYWORDS- Drugs, Quality control, Pathogenic bacteria, Public health hazard