Abstract

Environmental surfaces can serve as reservoirs for opportunistic pathogens such as Klebsiella spp., which are linked to both hospital and community acquired infections. This study aimed to isolate, enumerate and characterize Klebsiella spp. from surface swabs collected within university campus. A total of twenty surface swab samples were processed using selective culture methods followed by biochemical identification. Colony-forming unit (CFU) counts were determined using the plate count method. Our findings revealed a presence of the bacterial culture with an average of 110 CFU/swab in positive samples, emphasizing the need for targeted hygiene practices to mitigate potential health risks. These data provide a basis for developing effective control strategies against environmental reservoirs of Klebsiella spp. Despite its common presence in aquatic environments the virulence potential is mostly unknown. Hence, in this study, Klebsiella spp. isolated from the various sources and screened for various characteristics. Finally, the study indicated that Klebsiella is ubiquitous in the environment.

Keywords

klebsiella spp., surface swabs, environmental reservoirs, isolation, enumeration, public health