ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN SOIL, IRRIGATION WATER AND VEGETABLES FROM SMALL-HOLDER VEGETABLE FARMS IN CALABAR SOUTH
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the bacteria load of fresh vegetables and soil in Calabar South. The study was conducted using vegetable fields in the area. Soil and vegetable were collected from different agricultural farm land within Calabar south , with sterile container and were transported to Microbiology laboratory unit of Cross River State University Calabar for bacteriological analysis. Bacteria species isolated were characterized and identified using standard microbiological techniques. The identification of bacteria were based on Gram reaction and biochemical analysis. The study found that the Heterotrophic bacteria count (THCB) ranged between 3.3×105 Cfu/ml to 5.3×105 Cfu/ml while the total coliform count ranged between 2.0×105 Cfu/ml to 2.8×105 Cfu/ml. Bacteria that were isolated were Serratia spp., Klebsiella spp., Citrobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Cronobacter spp., E.coli., Staphylococcus aureus., Erwinia spp. and Yersinia spp. The result of the study revealed that Serratia spp. (16.6%), Klebsiella spp. (16.6%), Citrobacter spp. (13.3%) and Enterobacter spp. (13.3%) in order of reducing prevalence were the most commonly isolated bacteria from the soil and vegetable studied. The result for antibiotics Susceptibility profile of bacteria recovered from the vegetable farm, the result showed that a high number of organisms were resistant to Ceftazidime (CPZ), Cefotaxime (CTX), Cefuroxime (CRX) and Tetracycline (TET) for samples A (vegetable sample) and Ceftazidime (CPZ), Cefotaxime (CTX). Ceftriaxone (CTR), Cefotaxime (CTX), and Ciprofloxacin (CIP) were resistant in Sample B (soil sample). Amikacin (AMK) was susceptible for both samples. This study concludes that there is wide spread of bacteria among the farm sample studied. It was therefore recommended among others that water use for watering the farms should regularly be checkmate to avoid the use of contaminated water to reduce the spread of bacteria.
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