Abstract:
Hospital wastewater contains various chemicals and antibiotic residues, leading to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in receiving waters. This poses ecological risks to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Antibiotic resistance, driven by genetic mutation and enzymatic denaturation, is a global concern exacerbated by irrational antibiotic use in hospitals. High concentrations of antibiotics in hospital wastewater facilitate the horizontal transfer of resistance genes. Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogenic bacterium, can acquire antibiotic resistance genes from hospital wastewater, potentially disseminating into the environment. This study aimed to characterize Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated fromhospital wastewater and analyze their drug resistance profiles. Samples of hospital wastewater were collected from multiple locations in District Kohat, Pakistan, and transported to the Microbiology Research Laboratory, KUST, Kohat for analysis. HPLC analysis was conducted using silica gel and acetonitrile to detect antibiotic residues. S. aureus identification involved colony morphology, Gram staining, and biochemical tests such as catalase and coagulase tests. Antibiotic sensitivity was determined using the disc diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton Agar plates, measuring the zone of inhibition. In hospital wastewater samples, 11% and 8% of the isolates were identified as methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), respectively. Among the 11 MSSA isolates, 98% exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR). The MSSA isolates displayed high resistance rates to vancomycin (100%), penicillin (95%), clindamycin (90%), erythromycin (85%), ofloxacin (80%), oxacillin (40%), cefoxitin (20%), and chloramphenicol (5%). Notably, the prevalence of MSSA isolates exhibiting reduced susceptibility to vancomycin, penicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and ofloxacin was higher in hospital wastewater samples. The predominant antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) identified was mecA, which was detected in all of the isolates (100%). This study demonstrates that hospital wastewater is a reservoir for multidrug-resistant methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains, with high resistance rates observed against multiple antibiotics. The presence of the mecA gene in all isolates highlights its significant role as a predominant antimicrobial resistance gene. These findings underscore the urgent need for effective wastewater management strategies and the implementation of rational antibiotic usage practices to mitigate the dissemination of antibiotic resistance from hospital wastewater into the environment.
Page(s):
247-247
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Abstract Book on International Conference on Food and Applied Sciences (ICFAS-23) 3-5 August 23, Volume: 0, Issue: 0, Year: 2023
Keywords:
Antibiotic resistance
,
Ecological risks
,
Wastewater management
,
Hospital wastewater
,
Antibiotic residues