Seasonal variation in bacterial contamination of water sources with antibiotic resistant faecal coliforms in relation to pollution

Abstract

Water sample were collected from piped supplies, surface water and ground water sources in different locations of Lucknow city during summer, monsoon and winter season. Bacteriological quality of samples was determined by enumerating coliform isolated were subject to antibiotic susceptibility test with disc diffusion method. Maximum coliform and faecal coliform contamination were recorded during summer (67% and 75%) and monsoon (67% and 58.3%) while minimum during winter (50% and 50%). All the test isolates exhibited resistance (for nine antibiotics) was shown by river isolates. Antibiotic resistance index (ARI) ranged from 0.050 to 0.150 exhibiting the broad spectrum resistance for 3 to 9 out of 10 antibiotics tested. Occurrence of faecal pollution indicator organisms and multiple antibiotics resistance bacterial population in drinking water is alarming and a sign of potential health with therapeutic problems.