TITLE:
Abiotic Factors Associated with Abundance Dynamics and Antibiotic Multidrug Resistance of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis Isolated from Some Ombessa Aquatic Systems (Central Cameroon Region)
AUTHORS:
Lucie Leme Banock, Blandine Pulchérie Tamatcho Kweyang, Fabrice Ezo’o Mengo, Stephane Arthur Noah, Eric Donald Mbo Zang, Olive Vivien Noah Ewoti
KEYWORDS:
Bacterial Abundance, Multiresistance, Abiotic, Aquatic
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.12 No.9,
September
29,
2024
ABSTRACT: The present study conducted in the town of Ombessa aims to assess the influence of abiotic factors on the abundance dynamics and antibiotic susceptibility of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis isolated from some aquatic systems from February to July 2022, monthly samples were taken at 10 water points used by the population (8 groundwater points and 2 surface water points). Samples were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters such as temperature, pH, electrical conductivity. Bacteriological variables such as BHAM, E. coli and E. faecalis abundances were also assessed. Antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli and E. faecalis was assessed using 06 antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer diffusion disk method. The results show that bacterial abundances were the highest in surface waters. Bacterial densities were the highest in May and the lowest in February. The average densities recorded were 3845 CFU/100mL for BHAM, 380 CFU/100mL for E. coli and 14 CFU/100mL for E. faecalis in groundwater; and 8583 CFU/100mL for BHAM, 6878 CFU/100mL for E. coli and 812 CFU/100mL for E. faecalis in surface water. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that these bacterial species are sensitive to Gentamicin, Chloramphenicol, Azithromycin and Ciprofloxacin. They are all resistant to Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole, E. coli is resistant to Doxycycline and E. faecalis has an intermediate sensitivity to Gentamicin. Overall, the Multiresistance to Antibiotics (MRA) indices obtained were above 0.2, indicating the presence of multidrug resistance in bacterial communities. The physico-chemical properties of the water varied over time and space, but on the whole remained below the threshold values of WHO guidelines. The degree of linkage between abiotic water variables and bacteriological parameters has shown that bacterial densities are more abundant in rainy seasons and increased O2 levels favor bacterial growth, while TSS, CO2 and dissolved nitrate levels affect the sensitivity of these bacterial species to antibiotics.