Antibiotic Resistance and Metal Tolerance of Coliform Bacteria Isolated from Gomati River Water at Lucknow City

Abstract

The occurrence of antibiotic resistant and metal tolerant coliform organisms was investigated in unpolluted upstream and polluted downstream Gomati River water. Increased levels of antibiotic resistance were found among downstream thermotolerant coliforms which included many multiple antibiotic-resistant (MAR) strains. Transmissibility of antibiotic resistance was demonstrated in 55.7% of MAR isolates and the rate of transfer was between 1.36xl0-4 and 1.8xl0-11. Upstream coliform isolates were more tolerant to aluminium and copper than downstream isolates. Downstream coliform isolates exhibited tolerance to mercury which occurred frequently among MAR strains. The isolation rate of MAR coliforms and mercury-tolerant MAR strains was highest during the winter months. © 1988, Applied Microbiology, Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Research Foundation. All rights reserved.