O.C. UDINYIWE

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.

Point-of-sale (POS) machines are widely used for cashless transactions in Nigeria, but frequent handling by multiple users makes their keypads potential fomites for microbial transmission. This research aimed to determine the microbial load, public health risk and antimicrobial resistance patterns present on POS keypads sampled from twenty locations between Five Junction and First East Circular Junction, Benin City. 20 Swab samples were used to swab on the screen or button of the POS machines to collect isolates. The bacterial isolates were identified using morphological, microscopic and biochemical techniques. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted to determine resistance profiles of the bacterial isolates. Analysis of bacterial counts revealed considerable contamination, ranging from 1.5 × 10³ cfu/ml to 6.55 × 10 4cfu/ml. Four bacterial species were identified which were Staphylococcus spp. (34.15 %), Pseudomonas spp. (26.83 %), Aeromonas spp. (24.40 %) and Enterococcus spp. (14.63 %). Antibiogram results demonstrated multidrug resistance, particularly in Pseudomonas sp. which showed resistance to several antibiotics including streptomycin and chloramphenicol. The presence of pathogenic and multidrug-resistant bacteria on POS keypads indicates their potential role in the transmission of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance within the community. Nevertheless, further research is needed to establish effective disinfection practices, determine the frequency of contamination and evaluate the impact of hyg