ISOLATION AND ANTIBIOGRAM OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLATED FROM HOSPITAL REFUSE DUMP SITES

Abstract

Hospital waste is a potential health hazard to health care workers. Wastes in dump sites with no proper waste handling method are a source of pathogens to the soil, which in turn contribute to the emergence of community acquired infections. Soil samples were collected from two different hospitals in Awka, Anambra State. This study isolated, identified and determined the antibiogram of genetic bacteria isolated from waste dump sites in some selected hospitals in Awka metropolis, Nigeria. The bacterial isolates were identified on the basis of standard cultural, morphological and biochemical characteristics. Antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates was evaluated using the Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method. Different bacterial species were isolated from the hospital waste dump soil. The bacterial isolates included Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella sp, and Psudeomonas aeruginosa. The isolates were resistant to these antibiotics like Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacan. The presence of resistant enteric pathogenic species at the various dump sites indicates poor management of antibiotic disposal in hospitals. Effective waste management practice should be put in place so as to control the wide spread of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment resulting to public health challenges.