POS MACHINE

Point of Sale (POS) terminals have become a common feature of commercial transactions in urban environments such as Benin city, Edo State, Nigeria. This study was aimed at investigating the microbial contamination, bacterial diversity and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of microorganisms isolated from Point of Sale (POS) machines keypads within Medical Junction to New Benin Market axis of Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Twenty POS machines were randomly sampled using sterile swab sticks and the samples were analyzed using standard microbiological procedures and biochemical tests for bacterial Identification. The total heterotrophic counts ranged from 3.3 x 10³ to 9.9 x 10³. Antibiotics susceptibility pattern of the bacteria isolated was performed using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method Four main bacterial genera were isolated and identified: Escherichia coli (32.5 %), Neisseria spp. (27.5 %), Staphylococcus spp. (20 %), and Streptococcus spp. (20 %). E. coli showed the
highest prevalence with ( 32.5 % ) Antibiotic susceptibility testing, performed using the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method, revealed high resistance to β-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin, augmentin, and ampiclox, while the isolates exhibited greater sensitivity to fluoroquinolones including ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and levofloxacin. The findings confirm that POS terminals in Benin City serve as potential reservoirs for pathogenic and ugresistant bacteria, posing significant public health risks, particularly in densely populated commercial settings. Regular disinfection of POS devices, improved hand hygiene among operators and customers, and public awareness campaigns on microbial contamination are recommended to mitigate the spread of infectious agents and antimicrobial resistance.