In this study, microbial quality and antimicrobial resistance of faecal bacteria from a Portuguese river were assessed. River water samples collected upstream and downstream of a wastewater treatment plant, throughout a 3-month period, were used for the enumeration of Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. The highest numbers found for E. coli and enterococci were 1.1 × 104 and 1.2 × 104 colony forming units (CFU)/100 ml, respectively. In total, 144 isolates of E. coli and 144 of enterococci were recovered and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility; 104 E. coli and 78 Enterococcus spp. showed resistance to one or more antimicrobial drugs. Overall, 70 and 32 different resistance patterns were found for E. coli and enterococci, respectively. One E. coli showed resistance to imipenem and 29 isolates were extended spectrum β-lactamase-producers. Multidrug-resistant E. coli belonged mostly to groups A, B1 and group D. Enterococcus spp. were mostly resistant to rifampicin, tetracycline, azithromycin and erythromycin; six isolates showed resistance to vancomycin, presenting the VanA phenotype. The high levels of E. coli and enterococci and the remarkable variety of antimicrobial resistance profiles, reinforces the theory that these river waters can be a pool of antimicrobial resistance determinants, which can be easily spread among different bacteria and reach other environments and hosts.
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Research Article|
January 16 2014
High prevalence of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. in river water, upstream and downstream of a wastewater treatment plant
Lucinda J. Bessa;
1CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua do Bragas n. 289, 4050–123 Porto, Portugal
E-mail: [email protected]
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Ana Barbosa-Vasconcelos;
Ana Barbosa-Vasconcelos
2Department of Aquatic Production, ICBAS – Abel Salazar Institute for the Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n. 228, 4050–313 Porto, Portugal
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Ângelo Mendes;
Ângelo Mendes
2Department of Aquatic Production, ICBAS – Abel Salazar Institute for the Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n. 228, 4050–313 Porto, Portugal
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Paulo Vaz-Pires;
Paulo Vaz-Pires
1CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua do Bragas n. 289, 4050–123 Porto, Portugal
2Department of Aquatic Production, ICBAS – Abel Salazar Institute for the Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n. 228, 4050–313 Porto, Portugal
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Paulo Martins da Costa
Paulo Martins da Costa
1CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Rua do Bragas n. 289, 4050–123 Porto, Portugal
2Department of Aquatic Production, ICBAS – Abel Salazar Institute for the Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira n. 228, 4050–313 Porto, Portugal
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J Water Health (2014) 12 (3): 426–435.
Article history
Received:
July 29 2013
Accepted:
December 16 2013
Citation
Lucinda J. Bessa, Ana Barbosa-Vasconcelos, Ângelo Mendes, Paulo Vaz-Pires, Paulo Martins da Costa; High prevalence of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. in river water, upstream and downstream of a wastewater treatment plant. J Water Health 1 September 2014; 12 (3): 426–435. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2014.160
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