BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE LIPS OF SOME MADONNA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, ELELE, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

The lips, being constantly exposed to the external environment and coming into contact with various surfaces, food, and individuals, are prone to colonization by diverse microorganisms. This study investigated the microbial composition of fifthy (50) lip swab samples from male and female students of Madonna University. The organisms isolated were further characterized using standard procedures of gram staining, biochemical characteristics and colonial morphology. Data obtained from this study was analyzed statistically using statistical package for social science (SPSS) the results were expressed in frequencies of occurrence, distribution and percentage. ANOVA was used to compare mean difference between the group while test of association was analyzed using chi-square test of independence and values were considered significant at (p0.05). The results from the research revealed several key findings. fifthy(50) organisms were isolated and confirmed to be Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis.The prevalence of Gram-positive bacteria was observed, with 94% emphasizing their significance in the sampled population. Secondly, gender-based variations were noted in the distribution of Staphylococcus species. Notably, Staphylococcus aureus exhibited a higher occurrence in females (55.9%) compared to males (44.1%), whereas Staphylococcus epidermidis was more prevalent in males (69.2%) than in females (30.8%). These disparities necessitate further investigation to uncover the underlying factors contributing to these gender-specific variations. The total percentage of occurrence was 24(100%) in males and 23(100%) in females. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the isolate organisms. Good and proper oral hygiene must be maintained especially by the students to prevent their contamination with bacterial pathogens.