Microbial load and O157:H7, cp5, cp8 Serotypes assessment of some non-sterile pharmaceutical drug types sold at major outlets in Lafia, Nigeria

Objective: Non-sterile pharmaceutical products are usually subjected to unrestricted handling and are therefore potentially susceptible to postproduction contamination by microorganisms from both handlers and the environment. This study was carried out to determine the microbial quality of some commonly administered non-sterile drug types from hawkers and pharmacy outlets within Lafia Metropolis, Nigeria. : A total of 240 samples Material and methods (80 samples each of tablets, syrups and ointments) were purchased from pharmacies and hawkers' outlets and the microbial load determined using the W.H.O Pharmacopoeia and serological methods. From Results and conclusion: this study, the mean Total Aerobic Bacterial Counts (TABC) and the Mean Total Yeast and Mold Counts (TYMC) had values higher than the W.H.O recommended levels for some syrups and tablets from both pharmacy and hawkers' outlets. The difference in the values among the various outlets and between the drug types were statistically significant at p<0.05. Results of immunoassay indicated that was isolated from 23/120 (19.17%) hawkers' drugs among E. coli which 1/23 (4.35%) was the O157:H7serotype. Similarly, 17/120 (14.17%) hawkers' drugs had Staphylococcus aureus among which 8/17(47.06%) and 6/17(35.27%) were and serotypes respectively while 3/17(17.65%) had no cp5 cp8 capsular antigen ( ). These values were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those obtained from pharmacy outlets. The cp-microbial qualities of most of the pharmacy products were in accordance with International Pharmacopoeia while some, especially the tablets and syrups from hawkers, exceeded the recommended acceptance limit and might be of health risks to consumers.