The health implications of mobile phones emission have been a matter of concern to health practitioners for decades but little or no attention has been given to the mobile phones as potential fomites for pathogens. This study isolated and characterised methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on mobile phones of students in a tertiary institution in Ibadan, Nigeria. One hundred swab samples were obtained from the surfaces of mobile phones of students in a cross-sectional study conducted between July and August, 2019. Presumptive staphylococci were isolated on mannitol salt agar and identities were confirmed by standard biochemical test and Gram-staining. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was done by disc-diffusion method and mecA or mecALGA251, tsst-1, eta and etb genes screened by PCR technique. Among the 200 presumptive S. aureus isolated, 163 (81.5%) were confirmed as S. aureus exhibiting resistance to ofloxacin (1.8%), gentamicin (3.7%), ceftriaxone (29.4%), ceftazidime (57.7%), cefoxitin (61.3%), cefuroxime (64.4%), erythromycin (85.3%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (86.5%) and cloxacillin (92%). Proportion of MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) were 61.3% and 38.7% respectively with significant difference in their level of antibiotic resistance to the cephalosporins (excluding ceftriaxone), penicillins, erythromycin and ofloxacin (p<0.05). All the MRSA strains were multidrug resistant (MDR) harbouring mecA or mecALGA251 (56.3%), tsst-1 (56.3%), etb (31.3%) and eta (12.5%) genes. This study detected a high proportion of methicillin-resistant, virulent S. aureus as fomites on surfaces of mobile phones among students of a tertiary institution. This is of public health concern and thus requires strong public education to avoid imminent spread and outbreaks.

The preservation of semen for Artificial insemination (AI) required the use of extender, which served as a buffer media to keep the sperm cell in good condition for fertilization. In this study, fluted pumpkin Telfairia occidentalis leaf extract (TOLE) potential as an unconventional boar semen extender was compared to Beltsville thawing solution (BTS), a conventional semen extender over a 48hr storage period. Aqueous solution of TOLE was prepared at three (3) concentration levels (25, 50 and 75%). Fresh ejaculates from boar were extended at (1:4) in TOLE solutions and BTS extender in a completely randomized design; treatments were replicated four (4) times. Extended semen was stored at 17 0 C and evaluated for semen qualities which include pH, dead/live ratio (%) and sperm cell concentration at time intervals (0, 12, 24, 36 and 48) hrs. Extended semen was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by semen extenders and storage periods for pH, and dead/live ratio (%) but sperm cell concentration (10 3 /cm 3) not (P > 0.05) affected. The pH values for BTS was significantly (P < 0.05) higher as compared to TOLE extenders. 75% TOLE extender had highest value (43.89%), and BTS had lowest value (12.15%) for dead/live ratio significantly (P < 0.05). The pH and dead/live ratio (%) values increased over storage time in all extender. The optimum performance of TOLE as compared to BTS extender was recorded at 50% concentration of TOLE extender. TOLE showed a potential as boar semen extender, but further studies are required to validate and improve its application.