Distribution pattern of enteric organisms in the Lagos Lagoon, Nigeria

Abstract

A wide range of organisms was encountered in the 24 sampled sites of Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria. Enteric Gram negative, lactose-fermenting short rods, such as Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., and Escherichia coli, were prevalent in most of the Lagoon sites studied. The in vitro antibiotic sensitivity profile of the isolates against several antibacterial agents (i.e., gentamicin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, co-trimoxazole, ampicillin) revealed that a high proportion of the bacterial isolates exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance. This is epidemiologically significant in cases of human infections. Since these organisms are widely distributed in the surface water, they are likely to contaminate marine organisms, which, if consumed by people in the area, may result in disease spread. This is further complicated by antibiotic resistance of the organisms involved.