Identification of pathogenic bacteria from food handling surfaces (tabletops) from different areas with demonstration of their drug resistance properties

Foodborne illness is generally caused after the consumption of food contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Food contamination often caused by contact with tabletops or food-handling surfaces where the pathogenic microbes are present due to the unhygienic conditions of people working there and the overall environment of the food serving area. In the current study, four areas (local restaurants, fast food shops, university canteens and hospital canteens) were selected for collection of swab samples (per cm2 area) from the tabletops. Five samples from each area were taken for further studies. After microbiological analysis, we found ten different types of bacteria (Esherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Klebsiella oxytoca, Corynebacterium xerosis, Staphylococcus aures, Salmonella spp., Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter aerogenes, pseudomonas aeruginosa and Alcaligenes fecalis) which are already considered to be pathogenic bacteria causing different health issues in immune-compromised and also in healthy consumers. These bacteria were then subjected to antibiotic sensitivity test using ten antibiotics-Vancomycin (30µg), Cotrimoxazol (30µg), Azithromycin (15µg), Gentamicin (10µg), Amoxycillin (10 µg), Cephradine (30 µg), Ceftriaxone (30 µg), Cefuroxime (30 µg), Cefoxitin (30 µg) and Tetracycline (30 µg). Bacterial isolates collected from university and hospital canteens showed the most resistance towards these antibiotics. Strict maintenance of proper sanitation and hygiene starting from personal aspects to the overall environment of food handling services should be maintained to reduce food contamination and foodborne disease.