1. RENT A CAR AND/OR DVD AND GET
ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA
FOR FREE
Ghenghesh KS., Nashnoush H.,
Shaker A., and El-Naami MM.
Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of
Science, Tripoli University TripoliLibya

2. INTRODUCTION
Inanimate common objects touched by people (toys,
computer keyboards, door knobs, etc) may transmit
bacterial infections particularly in hospitals as well
as in the community.
Recently the number of rent a car agencies as well
as DVD rental shops has increased tremendously all
over the country particularly in the main cities of
Libya (Tripoli and Benghazi).
The aim of the present work was to isolate and
identify the bacteria from the surfaces of steering
wheels of rented cars and rented DVDs and
determine the susceptibility of the isolated bacteria
to antibiotics.

3. METHODS
Using sterile moistened swabs two samples were obtained
from each steering wheel (SW) of 30 cars (20 rented) and from
60 rented DVDs.
Samples were plated on Mannitol Salt agar for isolation of
staphylococci, MacConkey agar and Salmonella-Shigella agar
(SSA) for salmonellae, shigellae and other enterobacteria,
Blood agar for streptoccoci and Pseudomonas spp., and
inoculated into Selenite F broth (SF) and Alkaline Peptone
water (APW, pH 8.6, enrichment for Aeromonas). After
overnight incubation at 37°C, loopsful from SF and APW were
plated on SSA and BA supplemented with 15mg ampicillin,
respectively.
Suspected colonies were identified using standard
bacteriological procedures and API 20NE whenever
appropriate.
Susceptibility of isolated organisms to antibiotics was carried
out by the disc diffusion method.

4. RESULTS

5. Bacteria isolated from steering wheels of
cars and rented DVDs
No (%) positive
Bacteria
SWs
DVDs
(n=30)
(n=60)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------S. aureus
20 (67)
35 (58.3)
S. epidermidis
7 (23.3)
20 (33.3)
Pseudomonas
1 (3.3)
3 (5)
aeruginosa
Bacillus species
10 (33)
23 (38.3)
Gram-negative rods
7 (11.7)
Gram-negative cocci
1 (1.7)

6. Resistance of Staphylococcus aureus isolated
from steering wheels of cars and rented DVDs
No. (%) resistant
Antibiotic
SWs
DVDs
(n=20)
(n=35)
------------------------------------------------------------------Ampicillin
18 (90)
20 (57.1)
Methicillin (MRSA)
0 (0.0)
4 (11.4)
Erythromycin
6 (30)
17 (48.6)
Tetracycline
4 (20)
5 (14.3)
Fusidic acid
7 (35)
24 (68.6)
Ciprofloxacin
0 (0.0)
1 (2.9)
Vancomycin
0 (0.0)
0 (0.0)

7. CONCLUSION

8. Multiple antibiotic-resistant
bacteria are not uncommon on the
surfaces of SWs (of rented cars)
and of rented DVDs.

9. Can steering wheels of rented cars
transmit antibiotic-resistant bacteria
in the community?

10. Can rented DVDs transmit antibioticresistant bacteria in the community?

11. These inanimate objects may play a
role in the transmission of multiple
antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the
community.

12. More ?s

14. How we can make a bug’s life on
SW and DVD hard?

15. Wash hands with soap and running water
after using a rented car and/or DVD
Disinfect SWs and DVDs before use with
pre-injection swabs
– MediSawbs, Sterets, others.
Designing surfaces that kill bacteria on
contact
– Amino glass slides acylated with acryloyl
chloride, copolymerized with 4-vinylpyridine,
and N-alkylated with different alkyl bromides
(porpyl to hexadecyl).
– The resultant surfaces, depending on the
alkyl group were able to kill up to 94 + 4% of
S. aureus cells sprayed on them.

16. THANK YOU