ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERN OF BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM TAP WATER AT DIFFERENT STUDENT HOSTELS IN GODFREY OKOYE UNIVERSITY

Water as one of the most abundant natural resources on earth is essential for the survival of living organisms. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics by individuals has led to the widespread of antibiotic resistant to microorganisms. The aim of this study was to isolate and determine the antibiotic sensitivity of bacteria from student hostel tap water in Godfrey Okoye University. Samples were collected, serial dilution were done and cultured. Using pour plating technique, the total bacteria count were determined, the isolates identification was carried out by performing Gram staining techniques, cultural morphology and biochemical tests. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates was determined using disc diffusion technique. The highest total bacteria count of the water samples was 29.1×10⁷, while the least bacteria count was 3.7×10³. The isolates with the highest multiple antibiotic resistance were both Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp at 0.67. The most frequently occurring bacterium isolates was Klebsiella spp at 66.7% while the least occurring bacteria isolates were Bacillus spp and Escherichia coli at 16.7%. The most antibiotics resistant to the bacteria isolates were Nalidixic acid, Imipenem and Cefuroxime at 100% while the antibiotics found to be more sensitive to the bacteria isolated were ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin at 33%. Therefore, there should be proper sanitation and disinfection of tap heads and stored water so as to avoid the outbreak of waterborne bacteria.