Journal of New Discovery in Microbiology

Despite its potential to reduce respiratory droplet transmission and offer some level of protection, cloth masks have a number of disadvantages and potential problems when used. This research's objective is to determine the prevalence of pathogenic microorganisms associated with fabric face masks among students of Modibbo Adama University Yola. Streak plate method and biochemical test were used to isolate and identify microorganisms on Nutrient Agar. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using the Kirby Bauer technique using Pefloxacin, Gentamycin, Ampiclox, Zinnacef, Amoxicillin, Rocephin, Ciprofloxacin, Septrin, and Erythromycin. Nine bacterial genera, seven gram-negative strains, and two gram-positive strains were found through bacterial analysis. Bacillus spp. Staphylococcus. spp., E. coli, Pseudomonas spp., Shigella spp., Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. were the bacteria isolated. The most frequent bacterium was Escherichia coli (25.6%), followed by Bacillus species (17.7%%), while Shigella species was the least frequent organism with a 2.2 percent rate of incidence. Only Shigella species are highly resistant (100%) to all tested antibiotics, with the exception of Ciprofloxacin, which had a resistance rate of 50%, according to the findings of isolates' susceptibility tests. Similar to this, Pseudomonas species have demonstrated significant rates of resistance to Pefloxacin, Gentamycin, Ampiclox, Amoxicillin and Rocephin. However, the many antibiotics examined have varied effects on the Staphylococcus species, E. coli, Klebsiella species, Salmonella species and Proteus species. It is inferable that applying cloth face masks without following the health protocols can be a source of contamination itself, which in turn leads to the spread of many multidrug resistant pathogens such as Bacillus and Pseudomonas in environments.