Impact of Occupational Exposure on Bacterial Community Dynamics in Selected Niches of Human Dermal Ecosystem

Abstract

The impact of occupational exposure on bacterial community dynamics in selected ecological
niches of the human dermal ecosystem was examined. Samples were collected from three
skin niches (palms, forearms and feet) of volunteers for different occupations (automobile
mechanics, civil servants, food vendors, traffic officers, masons and welders) to make a
composite and examined using standard microbiological methods. Results showed that 46.7%
of the bacteria abundance was from the palms, 28.7% from feet and 24.6% from forearms.
Based on occupation type, the highest bacterial abundance was isolated from Mason (23.5%)
while the lowest was recorded in Civil servants (11.4%). Based on occupational exposure by
niches, palms have the highest bacterial abundance from Masons (26.8%) while the lowest
was from Auto-mechanics (9.4%). Forearms have the highest from Masons (20.9%) while the
lowest was from civil servants (6.0%). Feet have the highest from Masons (20.5%) while the
lowest was from Civil servants (10.3%). Eight (08) bacterial species (Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus viridans, Citrobacter spp., Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis) were isolated from the palms, Five (05) (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) from the fore arms while Seven (07) species (Corynebacterium spp., Propiniobacterium granulosum, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) from the feet. B. subtilis, S. aureus, S. epidermidis were common to all niches. Occupational exposure can cause dermal bacterial community dynamics which could be of potential dermatological importance.