8 SVOA Microbiology htps://sciencevolks.com/microbiology/ Research Artcle Fungal Pathogens Associated with Hair Combs Used by Undergraduate Female Students of a Private University in South West Nigeria: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Ant-Fungal Susceptbility Study Seyi Samson Enitan 1 *, John Okeleke Ochei 1 , Esther Ngozi Adejumo 1 , Ileoma Emmanuel 1 , Stanley Osahon Usiobeigbe 1 , Comfort Bosede Enitan 2 , Mary Oluwatosin Ogunmuyiwa 1 1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria 2 Department of Pathology, Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital, Okada, Nigeria *Corresponding Author: Seyi Samson Enitan, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Nigeria, +2348065483761, +2348152356453 Accepted: January 24, 2020 Published: March 4, 2020 ABSTRACT: Hair combs may serve as potental vehicles for fungi capable of causing infectons of the hair and other parts of the human body. This study was designed to assess fungal contaminants associated with hair combs used by undergraduate female stu- dents of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun state, identfy associated risk factors and determine the ant-fungal suscept- bility patern of the fungal isolates. A total number of one hundred and twenty (120) female students were recruited for the study, swabs of their hair combs were obtained, and the samples were inoculated onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA). The plates were incubated at 25 0 C for 7 days and fungal isolates were identfed both macroscopically and microscopically. Antfun- gal susceptbility patern of the isolates was determined by the disc difusion method. The outcome of this study show that 111 (92.5%) out of the 120 hair combs examined had fungi contaminants, while the remaining 9 (7.5%) were fungi -free. 29 (24.2%) had one fungi isolate (mono-fungi contaminaton), 60 (50.0%) had two fungi isolates (dual-fungi contaminaton), while 22 (18.3%) had more than two fungi isolates (poly-fungi contaminaton). The percentage occurrences of dermatophytes (Microsporum sp. and Trichophyton sp.) and Non-dermatophytes (Aspergillus sp. and Candida sp.) were 52.8% and 39.7%, respectvely. The organism with the highest percentage occurrence was Microsporum sp. (30.4%), followed by Trichophyton sp. (26.7%), Aspergillus sp. (26.3%), and Candida sp. (16.6%). 78% of the hair combs examined had acceptable level of fungal load (Below 20 CFU/25cm 2 ), while 14% had unacceptable level of fungal load (Above 50 CFU/25cm 2 ). The fungal isolates were sensitve to the antfungal agents tested with diferent levels of sensitvity. This current study further strengthens the earlier claim that hair combs may serve as potental vehicles for fungal pathogens capable of causing hair infectons. It is therefore important for female folks to be acquainted with factors that promote fungal contaminaton and colonizaton of their hair combs and discourage the same in other to forestall the occurrence of fungal infecton of their hair and scalp in the future. Key words: Hair combs, Fungal Pathogens, Contaminaton, Risk factors, Ant-fungal Susceptbility 1.0 INTRODUCTION The hair has been described as the crowning glory of a person. It is one of the greatest assets of the female folks. It is deeply symbolic, and its meaning extends into multple dimensions of culture and life. It is viewed as a marvelous tool to which the female folks can express their beauty and sexuality [1, 2]. Beauty tools such as hair combs are used in everyday life for the purpose of hair care. However, they are rarely kept clean and thus give rise to likely contaminaton and colonizaton of these items by microorganisms. Daily care and maintenance of hair combs is very important in order to prevent or minimize fungal infecton of the hair [3-5]. Every female knows she has to take care of her beauty tools, but for some reason, hair combs are ofen forgoten. “Like all beauty tools, hair combs get dirty with repeated use, especially if one is using styling products on one’s hair," says a derma- tologic surgeon. Along with hair clumps and product residue, dust mites, dead skin cells, and oils can accumulate. The buildup of such on one’s hair combs can serve as media for bacteria and fungi overgrowth, resultng in an infecton risk [6-8]. SVOA Microbiology