Biohazards Signatures of Cough Syrup Isolates from Patent Medicine Shops, Akungba-Akoko Metropolis

The aim of this study is, to isolate, identify and characterize microbial analysis & biohazards signatures of cough syrup isolates from patent medicine shop in Akungba-Akoko metropolis and determined the antibiotics pattern of the isolates from cough syrup. Microbial bioharzard of cough syrup can occur at various stages of the manufacturing process, including raw material handling, storage, and packaging. Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses can survive and multiply in the cough syrup, leading its contamination. For this reason, this study was conducted to investigate the quality and safety of cough syrup from patent medicine shops using a combination of conventional method and molecular techniques. Different brands of eigth (8) cough syrups were collected from different patent medicine shop in Akungba-Akoko and the pour plate technique was performed to enumerate the microbial contaminant from the collected samples. Bacterial isolates were identified using Bergeys Manual of Determinative Bacteriology based on the results obtained from microscopic examination, cultural and morphological examination and biochemical tests. The antibiotics susceptibility patterns of the isolates were determined. Using an Ultraviolet spectrophotometer the growth dynamics and killing time of the cough syrup isolates were also determined. The 16s molecular sequencing was used to validate the bacteria isolates after the conventional method of analysis. The result showed that 75% of organisms isolated were Gram-negative, while the remaining 25% were Gram-positive which includes Staphylococcus aureus (2), Bacillus spp (2), Proteus spp (4), Citrobacter freundii (1), Enterobacter spp (3)., Klebsiella spp.(1) and Salmonella spp.(3), Streptococcus spp.(2). The results of this study showed that the majority of the cough syrup isolates were resistant to different antibiotics; 62% of the Gram-negative microorganisms identified were resistance to the antibiotics used, while 20% of the Gram-positive microorganisms were resistant to the antibiotics used. The findings of this study highlight the need for improved regulation and oversight of patent medicine shops in Nigeria, to ensure the quality and safety of healthcare products and services for consumers. By using a combination of advanced techniques, this study provides valuable insights into the quality and safety of cough syrup products sold in patent medicine shops in Akungba-Akoko metropolis. These findings can inform policy and practice in the healthcare sector, contributing to the improvement of public health and safety in Nigeria.