The prevalence of bacteria on highly utilize fomite at Menara Ilmu, UiTM Cawangan Sabah / Zul Izzah Zulkifli

Fomite is a non-living object that can transmit bacteria to a host and cause dispersion of diseases unnoticed. However this dispersion and concentration of bacteria can be reduces by hand hygiene. Even though many organizations had held hand washing facility and washing awareness, but the practice is still low. The purpose of this study is to identify the presence of bacteria on fomite at Menara Ilmu of UiTM Sabah Branch and to quantifying it. Besides that, this study also correlates the concentration of bacteria on fomite against human health status. The sample is collected using dry swab on selected fomites and culture on nutrient agar and nutrient broth. Gram staining was performed to classify the bacteria and the turbidimetric method was conducted. The result shows 90% of bacteria cultured are gram negative bacteria in both area but cafeteria has the highest concentration of bacteria (139x10⁸/mL). The amount and type of bacteria present on fomite is possible to cause health problem on students of UiTM Sabah Branch as record on contagious diseases cases occur in UiTM Sabah Branch. To conclude, most of the bacteria present on fomite at Menara Ilmu is gram negative and fomite at cafeteria has the highest concentration. The amount of bacteria fomite is possible to cause diseases to communities in UiTM Sabah Branch. As recommendations, quality of life in communities of UiTM Sabah Branch can be enhance by improving hand hygiene habits and awareness with the encouragement from UiTM management in providing soaps or hand hygiene campaign. In addition, academicians can further this study by increasing the study site, possible infected host and specifying the species of bacteria which enable in identify dispersal of pathogenic bacteria in UiTM Sabah Branch.