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The Emergence of Different Bacterial Pathogens in Hospital Wastewater Samples and their Antibiotic Resistance Pattern

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Abstract

The present study was designed to identify different bacterial pathogens in hospital wastewater samples and to determine their antibiotic resistant pattern against commonly used antibiotics. A total of 200 hospital wastewater samples were collected and analyzed accordingly. Of the 200 samples, only 60 yielded confirmed bacterial growth, while the remaining 140 samples showed negative results. Among 60 positive samples, a total of 7 different bacterial pathogens were isolated that included Staphylococcus aureus 16 (26.66%), Escherichia coli 14 (23.33%), P. aeruginosa 10 (16.66%), S. epidermidis 8 (13.33%), Enterobacter spp 7 (11.66%), S. pyogene 3 (5%) and Shigella 2 (3.33%). The antibiotic resistance pattern was checked by disc diffusion assay. All pathogens showed prominent susceptibility to Vancomycin, Cefixime, Tazobactam, and Doxycyline followed by other antibiotics, while pathogens showed noticeable resistance against Gentamycin, Amoxicillin, Tazobactam, and Tetracycline followed by other commonly used antibiotics. However, the S. pyogenes was the only pathogen that showed 100% resistance to Gentamycin, Tetracycline and levofloxacin, followed by Shigella which showed 100% resistance to Gentamycin and Tetracycline each. In particular, S. aureus was the most common pathogen isolated among other pathogens. The antibiotics to which bacterial pathogens showed high resistance were Gentamycin, Tetracycline, and Levofloxacin followed by other used antibiotics, while antibiotics of choice to which pathogens were prominently susceptible were Vancomycin, Cefixime, Tazobactam, and Doxycycline followed other used antibiotics. Hence, it was revealed from the present study that hospital wastewater communities are highly burdened by these antibiotic resistant bacteria and these are continuously disseminating to the outer environment which could pose an alarming situation to public health. Therefore, proper management protocols should need to be adopted to reduce the risk of exposure to such pathogens.

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Data Availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thanks Sadia Qayyum (Department of Microbiology, Hazara University Mansehra, Pakistan) for his generous suggestion and help in revision of the final draft manuscript

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Abasyn University, Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan

    Asim Shahzad

  2. Department of Microbiology, Hazara University, Garden Campus, Mansehra, 21300, Pakistan

    Abrar Hussain Mian &  Matiullah

  3. Department of Zoology, Hazara University, Garden Campus, Mansehra, 21300, Pakistan

    Ihtesham Ul haq

  4. Department of Microbiology, Government Degree College Madyan, Swat, Pakistan

    Muhammad Azam Khan

  5. Department of Botany, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan

    Kashmala Ali

  6. University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Lahore, 54890, Pakistan

    Tauseef Hamid

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  1. Asim Shahzad
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  2. Abrar Hussain Mian
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  3. Ihtesham Ul haq
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  4. Muhammad Azam Khan
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  5. Matiullah
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  6. Kashmala Ali
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  7. Tauseef Hamid
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Contributions

AS helped in conceptualization, methodology, data processing and writing - original draft manuscript. IU, MAK and Matiullah helped in data collection. KA and TH performed formal analysis. AHM helped in writing, critical review, editing and submission of the draft manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final version of the draft manuscript

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Correspondence to Abrar Hussain Mian.

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Shahzad, A., Mian, A.H., Ul haq, I. et al. The Emergence of Different Bacterial Pathogens in Hospital Wastewater Samples and their Antibiotic Resistance Pattern. Mater Circ Econ 3, 28 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-021-00046-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-021-00046-y

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