Microbial Diversity and Antibiotic Susceptibility Pattern of Bacteria Associated with Motorcycle Helmets

Motorcycle helmets can serve as a potential vehicle for the transmission of pathogenic bacteria and fungi with serious health implications. The main aim of this study was to explore the microbial diversity associated with the motorcycle helmets and determine the antibiotic susceptibility profile of the bacterial isolates.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among the teaching staffs of Birendra Multiple Campus, Bharatpur, Nepal. A total of 130 motorcycle helmets worn by the teaching staffs of the Birendra Multiple Campus, Bharatpur, were included in the study for microbiological investigations.

Of the total 130 motorcycle helmets analyzed, 392 bacteria and 346 fungi belonging to seven different genera were recovered. Staphylococcus aureus 89 (22.7%) was the predominant bacteria followed by S. epidermidis 77 (19.6%) and E. coli 54 (13.8%), whereas Aspergillus niger 67 (19.4%) was the predominant fungi followed by A. fumigatus 49 (14.2%). Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by the disc diffusion method for all the bacterial isolates. Tetracycline, gentamycin, and cotrimoxazole were the most effective antibiotics for Gram-positive isolates, whereas Gram-negative isolates were sensitive towards imipenem and ciprofloxacin. Of the total bacterial isolates, 153 (39.0%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR), 10.4% were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers, and 4.3% were metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) producers and, out of 89 isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, 30 (33.7%) were detected as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

The findings suggest that motorcycle riders should follow good hygiene practices and regularly clean their helmets with suitable sterilants to avoid the risk of microbial contamination and reduce the associated risks.