Olalemi, A., Oladejo, B., and *Bayode, M.
Department of Microbiology, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B. 704, Akure, Nigeria
*Correspondence to: bayodemcbay@gmail.com
Abstract:
Background: Hospital wastewaters contain blends of inorganic, natural constituents and contaminants that carry significant health risk when released directly into the environment. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between faecal indicator bacteria in diarrheagenic stools and wastewaters generated in University of
Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital complex, Akure, Nigeria.
Methodology: Quantification of faecal indicator bacteria was carried out on diarrheagenic faecal samples collected from 55 hospitalized patients and 68 wastewater samples from the medical laboratory science and laundry units of the hospital over of period of 12 weeks. Standard membrane filtration technique was performed using membrane intestinal enterococcus (m-ENT), membrane faecal coliform (m-FC), membrane lauryl sulphate (MLSA), eosin methylene blue (EMB) and Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar plates, which were incubated at 37ºC for 24 hours (MLSA, EMB and SSA), 44ºC for 24 hours (m-FC); and 37ºC for 48 hours (m-ENT). Bacterial colonies on agar plates were counted and expressed as colony forming units (CFU) per 100ml of diarrheagenic stool and wastewater. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the level of faecal indicator bacteria in diarrheagenic stools and wastewaters at p<0.05 level of significance (and 95% confidence interval).