Auma Sharon, Barasa James E, Kosgei Caroline, Bisem Naomi, Rono Salinah, Korir Richard
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya.
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya.
Microbiol Spectr. 2025 Sep 2;13(9):e0120625. doi: 10.1128/spectrum.01206-25. Epub 2025 Jul 31.
Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria play a significant role in spreading infections, with some strains exhibiting resistance to multiple antibiotics. Aquatic and wastewater systems, which receive effluents from various sources, contain pathogenic bacteria, chemicals, and antibiotic contaminants. This study investigated the bacterial load and antibiotic resistance profiles of gram-negative bacteria in water samples from wastewater systems and River Sosiani in Eldoret town, Kenya. Water samples were aseptically processed using standard microbiological techniques, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing using the disc diffusion method. Data were coded and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and ANOVA. The highest bacterial count was detected at Kipkaren bridge (296) and the lowest at Kipkenyo boundary effluent (21). The study identified pathogenic gram-negative bacteria with varying frequencies: (30.3%), (20.9%), (10.3%), (8.7%), (7.8%), (5.6%), (5.6%), (5.1%), (4.4%), and (2.7%). Antibiotic susceptibility tests revealed that all isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, gentamicin, and chloramphenicol, with high multi-antibiotic resistance indices recorded in (60%), (33.3%), (30%), (30%), (25%), (25%), (16.7%), (12.5%), and (12.5%) but not in (0%). The study demonstrates rivers and wastewater systems as the critical reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria, exhibiting varying levels of multi-antibiotic resistance index. This poses threats of multi-drug resistant infections outbreak from the environment to public health, hence prompting the need for quick remedial action.
The study highlights the critical role of wastewater and aquatic systems as reservoirs for pathogenic gram-negative bacteria, which play a key role in the spread of infections. The findings reveal an alarming presence of various antibiotic-resistant bacteria, with particularly high multi-antibiotic resistance index in several species to commonly used antibiotics. These findings demonstrate the urgent need for enhanced wastewater treatment practices and the regular monitoring of water sources to curb the spread of waterborne diseases and safeguard public health.
革兰氏阴性病原菌在传播感染方面起着重要作用，一些菌株对多种抗生素表现出耐药性。接收来自各种来源废水的水生和废水系统中含有病原菌、化学物质和抗生素污染物。本研究调查了肯尼亚埃尔多雷特镇废水系统和索西亚尼河水样中革兰氏阴性菌的细菌载量和抗生素耐药谱。使用标准微生物技术对水样进行无菌处理，然后采用纸片扩散法进行抗生素敏感性测试。数据进行编码并使用Microsoft Excel和方差分析进行分析。在基普卡伦桥检测到最高细菌计数（296），在基普凯尼奥边界废水处检测到最低细菌计数（21）。该研究确定了不同频率的致病性革兰氏阴性菌：（30.3%）、（20.9%）、（10.3%）、（8.7%）、（7.8%）、（5.6%）、（5.6%）、（5.1%）、（4.4%）和（2.7%）。抗生素敏感性测试表明，所有分离株对环丙沙星、强力霉素、庆大霉素和氯霉素敏感，在（60%）、（33.3%）、（30%）、（30%）、（25%）、（25%）、（16.7%）、（12.5%）和（12.5%）中记录到高多重抗生素耐药指数，但在（0%）中未记录到。该研究表明河流和废水系统是病原菌的关键储存库，呈现出不同水平的多重抗生素耐药指数。这对从环境到公共卫生的多重耐药感染爆发构成威胁，因此促使需要迅速采取补救行动。
该研究强调了废水和水生系统作为致病性革兰氏阴性菌储存库的关键作用，这些细菌在感染传播中起关键作用。研究结果揭示了各种抗生素耐药菌的惊人存在，几种物种对常用抗生素的多重抗生素耐药指数特别高。这些发现表明迫切需要加强废水处理措施并定期监测水源，以遏制水传播疾病的传播并保障公众健康。
