O. CHAIB, S. ACHOUR, S. EL FAKIR, I. EL ARABI AND B. OUMOKHTAR
Abstract
Contamination of water surface by resistant bacteria has become an emerging concern causing disruption of ecosystems worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the resistance level of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa against antibiotics in various rivers flowing through Fez city (Morocco). This monitoring study was conducted between July, 2013 and July, 2015. Surface water sampling was carried out in 8 sites from the several water courses passing through Fez area, and chosen based on the distance from hospital centers, farms and industries. The susceptibility of the isolates collected from the rivers to various antibiotics was examined by disc diffusion method. ESBL production in resistant isolates was determined by double disk synergy test (DDST) and phenotypic confirmatory test (PCT). Among 168 isolates identified of E. coli, 96 were resistant at least to one antibiotic (58%), 35% were resistant to amoxicillin, and 40% to ticarcillin. On the other hand, 85/163 isolates of Klebsiella pneumonia identified were resistant (53%). High values were registered to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (32%) and ampicillin (27%), followed by tetracycline with 14%, and 7 isolate (4 %) was identified as producing extended spectrum β- lactamase (ESBL). Finally, Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance percentage was 5% (6/118). Resistance to ceftazidim with (5%) and ciprofloxacin (5%) were higher. The results of this study confirm that the water surface of the city of Fez is contaminated by potentially pathogenic resistant E. coli, Klebsiella pneumonia and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.