Sewage analyses for antibiotic resistance within fecal E. coli isolates : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Microbiology at Massey University

Abstract

This investigation was undertaken to explore possible surveillance methods which might be applied in surveys of the incidence of acquired antibiotic resistance in fecal bacteria being shed by an urban population; the Palmerston North City sewage system served as a sampling device. Fecal E. coli was used as an indicator organism by virtue of its inherent sensitivity to several relevant antibiotics and, further, by virtue of the fact that antibiotic resistance in this microorganism can, in general, be attributed to plasmids coding for the resistance character(s) In the course of these exploratory studies it was observed that fecal E. coli accounted for 6 to 14% of the total coliforms present in sewage samples; the number of fecal E. coli in any given sewage sample was affected by the flow rate of the sewage and the rainfall.