Distribution and types of water-borne bacterial pathogens in River Sokoto, Nigeria and their health implication

M.I.O. Raji, Y.J. Oyeniyi

 

Abstract

The quality of water from River Sokoto was assessed to determine its bacterial load and types. Standard bacteriological techniques were used to perform the total heterotrophic bacteria, faecal coliform and enterococci counts of water samples collected from six sampling points on the river and distribution of bacteria in the water samples was also determined using standard procedures. The study indicated high heterotrophic bacteria, faecal coliform and enterococci counts above permissible limits for drinking and recreational waters according to World Health Organization (WHO) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). A total of 434 bacteria organisms were isolated comprising nineteen different species. Among the Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, which are human pathogenic organisms, had the highest percentage (11.98%) followed by Enterobacter aerogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae subspecies pneumonia. Pseudomonas aeruginosaconstituted the majority of non-Enterobacteriaceae Gram negative organisms. Staphylococcus aureus was the highest among the Gram positive organisms followed by Staphylococcus saprophyticus (5.99%). Other isolates in significant numbers are Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica and Aeromonas sobria. Bacteria of aquatic habitat like Providencia rettgeri, Raoultella ornithinolytica, Staphylococcus cohnii subspecies urealyticus and Staphylococcus chromogenes that have not been isolated before in the study area were also isolated. River Sokoto predominantly contained E. coli which is an indication of faecal contamination and that makes it unsuitable for drinking and agricultural uses. People in the area should be encouraged to practice adequate sanitation.

Key words: River Sokoto, water quality, bacterial pathogens, E. coli, health implication.

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Distribution and types of water-borne bacterial pathogens in River Sokoto, Nigeria and their health implication

Trends in the Resistance Pattern of Bacterial Pathogens of Otitis Media in Ibadan, Nigeria

AO Okesola, OA Fasina

 

Abstract

Otitis media, an inflammation of the middle ear, is a common illness in childhood, and also one of the most frequent reasons for outpatient antimicrobial therapy. This study was undertaken to determine the bacterial etiology of otitis media in our environment and their pattern of antibiotic susceptibility. Between November 2009 and March 2011, ear swabs collected from 132 patients with clinical diagnosis of acute otitis media and chronic suppurative otitis media were subjected to bacteriological analysis. The bacterial pathogens isolated were tested against ten antibiotics using standard bacteriologic techniques.
A total of 142 isolates were recovered from the 132 patients involved in this study. The most frequently isolated organism in acute otitis media and chronic suppurative otitis media was Pseudomonas aeruginosa, (43.7%), followed by Klebsiella species (31.0%), Proteus species (14.1%), Escherichia coli (7%), H.influenzae (2.8%) and Staphylococcus aureus (1.4%). Generally, high resistance rates were recorded against many of the antibiotics tested. However, ciprofloxacin demonstrated the highest susceptibility rates for P.aeruginosa (77.4%) and Klebsiella species (59.1%).All the pathogens demonstrated nil susceptibility towards cefixime except E.coli where the susceptibility rate was 40%.In conclusion, determination of the susceptibility pattern of bacterial pathogens of otitis media is of utmost importance to its effective management.

Key words: Otitis media, bacterial pathogens, resistance pattern

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Trends in the Resistance Pattern of Bacterial Pathogens of Otitis Media in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Bacteriological analysis of well water samples in Sagamu

AO Idowu, BB Oluremi, KM Odubawo

 

Abstract

Majority of the population in semi-urban and urban areas of Nigeria depend on wells as their source of water supply. Due to increasing cases of water-borne diseases in recent times, this study was carried out to examine the microbial quality of well water in Sagamu, Nigeria as a way of safeguarding public health against water borne diseases. Water samples from a total of forty wells, covered and uncovered from four different locations of varying socio economic and demographic status were assessed for their bacteriological quality using serial dilution to obtain total bacteria count and the multiple tube fermentation technique to determine the coliform count using the most probable number method. Positive tubes of the presumptive test were further cultured on appropriate solid media. The organisms isolated were further characterized using standard procedures. The result of the study revealed that all the wells were grossly contaminated with bacteria pathogens such as Klebsiella spp (95%), Escherichia coli (72%) and Salmonella typhi (32.5%). Comparatively, the uncovered wells were more highly contaminated with bacteria pathogens than the covered well especially in the highly populated areas. All the water samples exceeded the standard limit of the most probable number (MPN) per 100ml set for untreated drinking water. This result highlight the fact that most well water in Sagamu metropolis are not safe microbiologically for drinking without additional treatment such as boiling or disinfection and this could lead to outbreak of water borne diseases. Good and proper environmental and personal hygiene must be maintained especially by the users of those wells to prevent their contamination with bacterial pathogens.

Keywords: Well water, bacteriological analysis, bacterial pathogens, water borne, diseases

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Bacteriological analysis of well water samples in Sagamu