Prevalence of bacteria isolated from surfaces of automated teller machine - potential health hazard to university students? / Sharifah Ummairah Zawawi Syed Abdul Fattah

Contamination of pathogens on environmental surfaces poses health risks to the general public, especially people who have weak immune defenses. Depending on the types of pathogens, bacteria particularly, can survive for long period of time outside their hosts. Pathogens which can survive on surfaces which are commonly touched by many people stand the chance of spreading diseases from one person to another. Many studies reported that various different surfaces such as automated teller machines (ATM), elevator buttons, public toilet door plates, computer keyboards and telephones are common sites of bacterial contamination. Bacteria isolated from these sites include Staphylococcus spp., Aeromonas spp., Bacillus spp., Enterobacter spp., Escherichia spp., Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Salmonella spp. As most universities in Malaysia are equipped with ATMs, university students are at risk of exposure to potential pathogens from the surfaces of ATMs. The aim of this study was to identify the bacteria found on the surfaces of ATMs in university settings and also, to determine the prevalence of the bacteria. Swab samples of all the ten keypads of ATMs of seven universities around Klang Valley, Malaysia were collected and immediately immersed in enrichment medium prior to culture on blood and MacConkey agars. Following 24 hours of incubation, the colonies on both agars were purified and gram-stained was performed.