Table 5 Pathogenic bacterial species isolated from herbal medicines consumed by elderly individuals
From: Microbial contamination in herbal medicines: a serious health hazard to elderly consumers
Herbal medicine | Bacterial isolates* | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preparation | Use | Forms | Samples % (N) | Escherichia colia % (N) | Salmonella spp.a % (N) | Pseudomonas aeruginosaa % (N) | Staphylococcus aureusb % (N) |
Homemade herbal medicines | Orala | Solid | 5.3 (7) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.8) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.2) | 0 (0) | 3.0 (4 ± 0.3) |
Semisolid | 1.5 (2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.1) | 0.8 (1 ± 0.2) | ||
Liquid | 23.5 (31) | 12.9 (17 ± 0.4) | 15.9 (21 ± 0.6) | 8.3 (11 ± 0.4) | 20.4 (27 ± 0.9) | ||
Topical | Solid | 3.0 (4) | 3.0 (4 ± 0.6) | 3.0 (4 ± 0.1) | 0 (0) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.2) | |
Semisolid | 2.3 (3) | 2.3 (3 ± 0.4) | 3.8 (5 ± 0.3) | 0 (0) | 6.8 (9 ± 0.5) | ||
Liquid | 3.8 (5) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.1) | 3.0 (4 ± 0.1) | 0 (0) | 2.3 (3 ± 0.2) | ||
Total | 39.4 (52) | 39.4 (52) | 69.2 (36) | 25.0 (13) | 88.5 (46) | ||
Commercial herbal medicine | Orala | Solid | 7.6 (10) | 0.8 (1 ± 0.2) | 0 (0) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.2) | 6.1 (8 ± 0.6) |
Semisolid | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | ||
Liquid | 36.4 (48) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.3) | 3.0 (4 ± 0.2) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.1) | 4.5 (6 ± 0.4) | ||
Topical | Solid | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | |
Semisolid | 10.6 (14) | 0 (0) | 3.0 (4 ± 0.1) | 0 (0) | 2.3 (3 ± 0.5) | ||
Liquid | 6.0 (8) | 2.3 (3 ± 0.4) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.1) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.1) | 1.5 (2 ± 0.1) | ||
Total | 60.6 (80) | 60.6 (80) | 12.5 (10) | 7.5 (6) | 23.8 (19) | ||
Grand total | 132 (100) | 25.8 (34) | 81.7 (46) | 14.4 (19) | 49.2 (65) | ||