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The speciation of coliform genera from above and below a sewer outfall and their susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents

  • Medical Microbiology
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Abstract

The occurrence of coliforms in a small water course was shown to increase by a factor of thirty six below the outfall of a sewage treatment plant. Speciation of the bacteria from above and below the sewer outfall showed thatEscherichia coli andEnterobacter species predominated. Drug resistance levels were significant in microorganisms from both sampling sites and the occurrence of a significant number of multiple-resistant microorganisms, particularlyE. coli, is reported. BothE. coli andEnterobacter species from below the sewer outfall show a statistically significant increase in resistance to ampicillin andE. coli from below the outfall also shows a statistically significant increase in resistance to sulphamethoxazole as compared with isolates from above the outfall.

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Thirkell, D., Blankson, M. The speciation of coliform genera from above and below a sewer outfall and their susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 47, 133–145 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02342196

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