Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Bacteria Isolated from Drinking Water Sources in Amai Kingdom, Delta State, Nigeria

Aims: To investigate the susceptibility profile of bacterial isolates from hand dug wells and borehole waters within the Amai Kingdom, in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Novena University, between April 2016 and November 2016.

Methodology: A total of 30 boreholes and 30 well water samples were randomly sourced using sterile tightly locked plastic containers and transported to the laboratory within 2 hours. The water samples were cultured using spread plate method and the pure bacterial isolates tested for susceptibility to some commercial antibiotic discs using the Kirby-Bauer method.

Results: Bacteria were isolated respectively from 50% and 100% of the borehole and well water samples collected. A total of 45 bacterial isolates, distributed among the genera Staphylococcus (6.7%), Bacillus (10.0%), Escherichia (16.7%), Pseudomonas (11.7%) Enterobacter (8.3%), Proteus (10.0%), and Klebsiella(11.7%), was encountered. Majority of the isolates were sensitive to Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, Ciprofloxacin, Ceftriaxone, Gentamicin, Ofloxacin, and resistant to Ampicillin, Cotrimoxazole and Tetracycline. Bacillus sp (56%) was more resistant (p=.05) than S. aureus (33%), while the most resistant Gram-negative bacteria was Pseudomonas sp. (54%), followed by both E. coli (44%) and Klebsiella sp (44%), and both Proteus sp., (33%) and Enterobacter sp. (33%). Drug resistance was observed in at least three of the tested antibiotic disks.

Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that the drinking water sources in the Amai Kingdom are bacteriologically poor, with multiple-drug resistant bacteria, and thus of public health importance. Public education on dangers associated with indiscriminate dumping of waste and drug abuse is strongly recommended.