Pages: (25-30 )
Abstract
The increasing role of Enterobacteriaceae in antibiotic resistance, spread and reservoir is a pressing public health concern. This study was carried out to determine the plasmid profile and the antibiotic resistant patterns of water- borne Enterobacteriaceae recovered from some selected drinking water sources in 6 towns in Ogun State (Nigeria). Sixty-eight Enterobacteriaceae consisting mainly of Enterobacter spp, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp, Salmonella spp, Citrobacter freundii, Serratia spp were recovered and identified presumptively using standard microbiological and biochemical methods. The susceptibility of the isolates to 11 antibiotics were carried out by disk diffusion method while the plasmid analysis was by alkaline lysis method. The susceptibility result showed that >90% of the isolates were resistant to 9 antibiotics while all the isolates were susceptible to imipenem and meropenem among the other antibiotics investigated. Out of 40 Enterobacteriaceae investigated for the presence of plasmids, 18 isolates were positive for the presence of plasmids, E. coli (4), Enterobacter aerogenes (7), K. oxytoca (3), K. pneumoniae (4) with sizes range of 33.5 – >33.5kb. Presence of bacteria with resistance plasmids in drinkable water is a cause for concern due to the possible health risks to humans and animals.
Keywords: Plasmids; Enterobacteriaceae; Antibiotics resistance,