ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT BACTERIA IN HOSPITAL WASTEWATER AT ABUBAKAR TAFABALEWA UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (ATBUTH) BAUCHI STATE
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This study investigated the isolation, identification, and characterization of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospital wastewater at the Federal University Health Services Teaching Hospital, Azare (ATBUTH). Wastewater samples were collected from the Theatre, Ward, and Laboratory units and analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. A total of fifty-three bacterial isolates were obtained, comprising 21 Gram-positive and 32 Gram-negative species. The Ward samples yielded the highest number of isolates (20), followed by the Laboratory (18) and Theatre (15). Fifteen of the isolates were identified as multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, with Gram-negative bacteria showing higher resistance patterns than Gram-positive isolates.
Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed a high level of resistance to commonly prescribed drugs. Specifically, 75% of isolates were resistant to penicillin, 65% to cephalosporins, and 60% to tetracycline. Resistance to ciprofloxacin and gentamicin was lower, with 45% and 30% resistance, respectively, indicating that these antibiotics remain relatively more effective. Overall, 60% of isolates demonstrated multidrug resistance, highlighting the potential risks of untreated hospital effluents as reservoirs of resistant pathogens. Molecular characterization confirmed the presence of resistance genes, providing genetic evidence for antimicrobial resistance in the isolates. The study concludes that hospital wastewater from ATBUTH serves as an important source and dissemination route of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, thereby posing a threat to public health and the environment. It recommends effective wastewater treatment before discharge, routine monitoring of effluents, strengthened antibiotic stewardship, and advanced molecular surveillance to detect emerging resistance determinants.
Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, Hospital wastewater, Multidrug-resistant bacteria, Resistance genes, ATBUTH.
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