Bacteriological assessment of indoor and outdoor air in federal university gusau clinic, Zamfara state, Nigeria

Air quality in clinical environments plays a crucial role in ensuring the health and safety of patients, staff, and visitors. The study aimed to conduct a comparative bacteriological assessment of indoor and outdoor air in Federal University Gusau (FUG) Clinic environment. A total of 30 air samples were collected from FUG Clinic at different locations (Waiting Room, Treatment Room, Corridor, Window Area, and Entrance) and analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Bacterial isolation was performed on Blood agar, Tryptic Soy agar, and Mannitol Salt agar and isolates were identified through Gram staining and biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was conducted using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against a panel of antibiotics, including Gentamycin, Streptomycin, Pefloxacin, Cotrimoxazole, Amoxicillin, Ofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Chloramphenicol, Sparfloxacin, Augmentin, Erythromycin, Ceftriaxone, Cefuroxime, and Ampiclox. The prevalence rate of bacterial isolates was highest in the Waiting Room (32.1%), and the least prevalence was observed in the Window Area (14.3%). The distribution of isolates across the five sampled locations showed that the waiting room had the highest number of Staphylococcus spp. (18 isolates), while Pseudomonas spp. was more prevalent near outdoor areas such as the window and entrance, likely due to its environmental ubiquity. The most frequently isolated bacteria were Staphylococcus spp. (42.85%), followed by Escherichia coli (26.79%), Klebsiella spp. (17.86%), and Pseudomonas spp. (12.5%). Gentamicin, Sparfloxacin, and Ciprofloxacin showed highest efficacy against the isolates, while common antibiotics like Augmentin, Amoxicillin, and Erythromycin exhibit reduced effectiveness. The study highlights the predominance of Staphylococcus spp. in FUG Clinic and emphasizes the importance of indoor air quality monitoring and proper ventilation, especially in waiting areas and treatment zones where human waiting traffic is highest.