Abstract

Cockroaches Act as a Reservoirs and Vectors of Drug Resistant Pseudomonas spp.

Author(s): Thirumurugan D and Asha Shanmugam

Cockroaches are among the most notorious pests of premises, which not only contaminate food by leaving droppings and bacteria that can cause food poisoning but also they transmit bacteria, fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms in infected areas. Cockroaches feed indiscriminately on garbage and sewage and so have copious opportunity to disseminate human pathogens. Cockroacheswere collected fromdifferent sites of tertiary care hospitals. In total 20 cockroaches were collected and processed on Blood agar, Macconkey agar andNutrient agar by using spread platemethod. Microorganisms were isolated and identification both internal and external surface of cockroaches. The identification test was carried out by using micro morphological and cultural characteristics. Antibiotic sensitivity test was conducted onMHA plates. Four isolates were identified from external surface such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus sps, Staphylococcus sps, and Pseudomonas sps and three different isolates were identified in internal surface such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sps and Salmonella sps. In the present study revealed that cockroaches carried 75% of Pseudomonas sps, 25% of Salmonella sps. In the cockroaches carrying Pseudomonas sps had a high infection rate when compared to others.