Journal of
Microbiology and Antimicrobials

  • Abbreviation: J. Microbiol. Antimicrob.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2308
  • DOI: 10.5897/JMA
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 166

Full Length Research Paper

Presence of antibiotic resistant coliforms in sachet water sold in some parts of South Eastern Nigeria

Afiukwa, Ngozi Felicitas1, Iroha Ifeanyichukwu Romanus1*, Afiukwa Celestine Azubuike1, Ayogu Thomas Eze2,3, Onwa Ndubuisi Collins1 and Nwuzo Agabus Chidiebube1
1Department of Applied Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, P. M. B. 053, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. 2Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, P. M. B. 053, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. 3Department of Food Technology, Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, P. M. B. 01079, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 14 August 2010
  •  Published: 30 August 2010

Abstract

Three hundred sachet-water samples produced in Enugu and Onitsha namely: Aqua Rapha, Bejoy, Teck Tack, SO and Rock Tama were collected from six different batches. They were screened for the presence of faecal coliforms using standard microbiology techniques. Sachet- water samples contaminated with faecal coliforms were selected and tested for their susceptibility to fourteen different antibiotics by disc diffusion method. 80 (26.6%) were contaminated with faecal coliforms as follows: Aqua Rapha 25 (41.6%) specifically (Eschericha coliEnterobacter and Klebsiella spp.), Rock Tama 1 (1.6%) (E. coli,), Bejoy 20 (33.3%) (E. coliEnterobacter and Klebsiella spp.) , Teck Tack 9 (15%) (E. coliEnterobacterand Klebsiella spp.), and SO 33 (55%) (E. coliEnterobacter and Klebsiella spp). Susceptibility studies showed that E. coli was highly resistance to trimethroprim, sulphamethoxazole/trimethroprim, ampicillin, aztrenoman, ceftazidime, and cefpirome but susceptible to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, cefoxitin and cefotaxime. Enterobacter and Klebsiellaspp. were totally resistance to all the antibiotics tested. We report the presence of multi-drug resistance fecal coliform in the form of E. coli, Enterobacter and Klebsiella spp. from sachet- water.   

 

Key words: Sachet water, feacal coliform, antibiotics, multi-drug resistance