Assessment of Microbial Contamination of Door Handles and Touch Surfaces in Community Pharmacies in Abeokuta, Ogun State

High-touch surfaces in healthcare settings serve as reservoirs for nosocomial and community-acquired pathogens. Community pharmacies, while not typically classified as clinical settings, receive high patient traffic and may serve as transmission points for infectious agents. This study assessed microbial contamination of touch surfaces including door handles, dispensing counters, prescription pads, credit card terminals, and pen holders in 25 registered community pharmacies in Abeokuta, Ogun State, South West Nigeria. Standardized contact plate sampling was conducted at peak operating hours (10 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM) for four consecutive days. Total aerobic counts, coliform counts, and identification of S. aureus, Klebsiella species, and Candida species were performed. Results demonstrated that dispensing counters and door handles carried the highest bacterial burdens. MRSA was detected on surfaces in 36 percent of sampled pharmacies. Coliform presence on dispensing counters was identified in 28 percent of pharmacies. Notably, pharmacies that displayed alcohol-based hand sanitizers for customer use demonstrated 40 percent lower surface contamination levels than those without. These findings suggest that community pharmacies may contribute to the horizontal transmission of resistant pathogens and highlight the importance of surface disinfection protocols and customer hand hygiene facilitation. Regulatory frameworks for pharmacy environmental hygiene standards in Nigeria require urgent development. Keywords: touch surfaces, community pharmacy, MRSA, surface contamination, Abeokuta.