Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Bacteria Isolated from Sachet-packaged Water Sold in Uyo Metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Aims: This study was aimed at determining the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from sachet water sold in Uyo metropolis, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Study Design: Sachet water was randomly sampled in Uyo Metropolis.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Akwa Ibom State University, Nigeria, between June and November 2018.

Methodology: Six different brands of sachets water sold and consumed in Uyo metropolis were studied for their physical and microbiological qualities. Thirty (30) sachets water from the six (6) different brands respectively, were serially diluted and cultured on Nutrient agar, Eosin Methylene Blue agar, MacConkey agar and Salmonella-Shigella agar, while Muller Hinton agar was used for sensitivity test. Suspensions of purified isolates were standardized with 0.5 McFarland turbidity standard and were subjected to antibiotics susceptibility testing using Agar Diffusion method.

Results: The bacterial counts obtained ranged from 2.0 x 101 cfu/ml to 1.34 x 102 cfu/ml. Species isolated from the samples analysed included: Klebsiella sp., Escherichia sp., Staphylococcus sp., Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas sp., Citrobacter sp., Bacillus sp. Bacillus sp. Was susceptible to all the antibiotics tested against it except streptomycin while Staphylococcus sp was resistant to gentamicine and ampiclox but susceptible to other antibiotics. All the gram negative isolates were susceptible to tarivia and peflacine but completely resistant to nalidixic acid. Klebsiella sp. was most resistant (70%) of all the isolates, these was closely followed bt Escherichia sp. and Salmonella sp. at 60% resistance. Some of the sachet water brands from bacteriological standpoints did not meet the World Health Organization Standard for portable water.

Conclusion: This study indicted sub-standard packaged waters as a vehicle for the spread of antibiotic resistant bacterial pathogens, and this poses a high risk to public health. Hence, routine monitoring of producers of sachet water should been enforced.