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Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogenic Escherichia Coli Isolated from Rooftop Rainwater-Harvesting Tanks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Mokaba Shirley Malema

    (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Natural Resources and the Environment, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Akebe Luther King Abia

    (Antimicrobial Research Unit, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa)

  • Roman Tandlich

    (Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry Division, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa)

  • Bonga Zuma

    (Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry Division, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa)

  • Jean-Marc Mwenge Kahinda

    (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Natural Resources and the Environment, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Eunice Ubomba-Jaswa

    (Department of Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, 37 Nind Street, Doornfontein 2094, South Africa
    Water Research Commission, Lynnwood Bridge Office Park, Bloukrans Building, 4 Daventry Street, Lynnwood Manor, Pretoria 0081, South Africa)

Abstract

Although many developing countries use harvested rainwater (HRW) for drinking and other household purposes, its quality is seldom monitored. Continuous assessment of the microbial quality of HRW would ensure the safety of users of such water. The current study investigated the prevalence of pathogenic Escherichia coli strains and their antimicrobial resistance patterns in HRW tanks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Rainwater samples were collected weekly between June and September 2016 from 11 tanks in various areas of the province. Enumeration of E. coli was performed using the Colilert ® 18/Quanti-Tray ® 2000 method. E. coli isolates were obtained and screened for their virulence potentials using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and subsequently tested for antibiotic resistance using the disc-diffusion method against 11 antibiotics. The pathotype most detected was the neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC) ( ibeA 28%) while pathotype enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) was not detected. The highest resistance of the E. coli isolates was observed against Cephalothin (76%). All tested pathotypes were susceptible to Gentamicin, and 52% demonstrated multiple-antibiotic resistance (MAR). The results of the current study are of public health concern since the use of untreated harvested rainwater for potable purposes may pose a risk of transmission of pathogenic and antimicrobial-resistant E. coli.

Suggested Citation

  • Mokaba Shirley Malema & Akebe Luther King Abia & Roman Tandlich & Bonga Zuma & Jean-Marc Mwenge Kahinda & Eunice Ubomba-Jaswa, 2018. "Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogenic Escherichia Coli Isolated from Rooftop Rainwater-Harvesting Tanks in the Eastern Cape, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:5:p:892-:d:143979
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Akebe Luther King Abia & Lisa Schaefer & Eunice Ubomba-Jaswa & Wouter Le Roux, 2017. "Abundance of Pathogenic Escherichia coli Virulence-Associated Genes in Well and Borehole Water Used for Domestic Purposes in a Peri-Urban Community of South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-11, March.
    2. Lesley-Anne Caine & Uchechukwu U. Nwodo & Anthony I. Okoh & Roland N. Ndip & Ezekiel Green, 2014. "Occurrence of Virulence Genes Associated with Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Raw Cow’s Milk from Two Commercial Dairy Farms in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-14, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sabina Fijan & Dunja Šulc & Andrej Steyer, 2018. "Study of the In Vitro Antagonistic Activity of Various Single-Strain and Multi-Strain Probiotics against Escherichia coli," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Martina O. Chukwu & Akebe Luther King Abia & Eunice Ubomba-Jaswa & Lawrence Obi & John Barr Dewar, 2019. "Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Campylobacter Species Isolated from Paediatric Stool and Water Samples in the Northwest Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-22, June.
    3. Ashok J. Tamhankar & Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg, 2019. "Antimicrobials and Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment and Its Remediation: A Global One Health Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-7, November.

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