BACTERIAL ISOLATES

The scalp hair is composed of soft tissue layers that cover the cranium. This study focused on isolation, identification and antibiogram of bacteria isolates from scalp hair. With the aid of a sterile swab sticks, nine scalp hair of undergraduates’ students were swabbed and transported to the laboratory for bacteriological analysis. All the samples were analyzed within 24hrs of collection. Collected swabbed stick was submerged in a sterile test tubes label A – I contained Nutrient broth and incubated for 2hrs. 1ml was plated from each test tube. It was then incubated at 37 0 C for 24hours. The result of the bacteria isolated include; Staphylococcus epidermis 6 (15%), Staphylococcus aureus 6 (15%), Pseudomonas sp. 2(5%), Bacillus sp. 18(45%), Streptococcus spp. 5(12.5%) and Micrococcus spp. 3(7.5%). Haemolysin test on the strains of Staphylococcus auraeus Streptococcus sp. Staphylococcus epidermis, Micrococcus spp. and Psuedomonas sp. revealed they had β hemolytic activity and only strains of Bacillus spp. showed α hemolytic activity. While the gelatin test showed that all isolates produce gelatinase enzyme which breakdown gelatin. The antibiogram results revealed that All isolates were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and clindamycin 40(100%). Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin and clindamycin was proved to be the most effective against Gram positive and Gram-negative isolates studied in this work. Contamination of scalp hair from this research, could be from poor hand hygiene and environmental hygiene.

Microbial degradation of emulsion paints poses significant challenges in industrial and environmental settings, often leading to discoloration, structural breakdown, and reduced durability of coated surfaces. Among the key microbial agents, Bacillus spp. and Escherichia coli have been identified for their enzymatic capabilities and metabolic versatility in degrading paint components such as binders, pigments, and additives. These bacteria utilize organic compounds in paint as carbon sources, contributing to biodeterioration through acid production, biofilm formation, and enzymatic hydrolysis. This study presents a comparative analysis of the physiological and growth responses of Bacillus spp. and Escherichia coli over a 21-day incubation period under ambient laboratory conditions. Key parameters monitored included pH, optical density (OD), temperature, and total viable count (TVC), providing insights into microbial adaptation and proliferation trends. For Bacillus, the pH remained stable at 7.0 until Day 7, then declined to 6.0 by Day 14, suggesting increased metabolic activity and acid production, followed by a slight recovery to 6.2. OD values fluctuated, peaking at Day 14 (0.40), indicating active biomass accumulation, while TVC rose progressively from 0.675 ×10⁷ CFU/mL to 9.60 ×10⁷ CFU/mL by Day 21, reflecting robust growth. Temperature varied modestly between 24°C and 27°C, with no apparent inhibitory effect. In contrast, E. coli
exhibited a sharper pH decline from 6.8 to 5.6 by Day 14, consistent with its fermentative metabolism. OD decreased steadily from 0.51 to 0.26, suggesting reduced cell density or viability over time. However, TVC increased significantly, from 0.5 ×10⁷ CFU/mL to 8.35 ×10⁷ CFU/mL, indicating sustained proliferation despite declining OD. Temperature ranged from 26°C to 30°C, with peak microbial activity observed at higher temperatures. The results highlight distinct metabolic and growth profiles between the two species. Bacillus demonstrated resilience and biomass recovery, while E. coli maintained high cell counts despite reduced optical density. These findings underscore the importance of multi-parameter monitoring in microbial ecology and have implications for bioprocess optimization, environmental microbiology, and industrial fermentation systems.