Determination Of Lead Tolerance And Antibiotic Resistance Pattern Of Environmental Pathogens Isolated From Water Bodies

Abstract

This study observes the relationship between lead (Pb) tolerance and resistance of antibiotics of isolates of bacteria that are isolated from water bodies. A total of 50 samples were serene from February to March, with 25 samples from wastewater of Osaka industry of Hattar industrial estate and 25 from irrigation canals of Haripur. In wastewater samples waste water of, 13 isolates were recognized as Escherichia coli, 5 as Klebsiella, and 6 as Pseudomonas. In freshwater samples, 5 isolates were recognized as E. coli and 6 as Pseudomonas. Antibiotic sensitivity test was done by the disc diffusion method shows that E. coli isolates from waste were resistant to ciprofloxac in, tetracycline and Vancomycin, while Klebsiella revealed resistance to all tested antibiot ic s, including Vancomycin, tetracycline, cefotaxime, and ciprofloxacin. Pseudomonas isolates from wastewater were resistant to Vancomycin. E. coli from freshwater showed resistance to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, and Vancomycin but were sensitive to Imipene m. Pseudomonas from freshwater were resistant to tetracycline and Vancomycin. Lead tolerance tests on nutrient agar with lead chloride dilutions (0.5 to 1.5 ppm) showed varying degrees of tolerance.

1. coli from wastewater had 80% tolerance at 0.5ppm and 60% at 1ppm and 60% tolerance 1.5

mg/L. Pseudomonas from wastewater exhibited 77% tolerance at 0.5ppm, 66% at 1.5ppm and 66% at 1.5 mg/L. Klebsiella showed 30% tolerance at 0.5 ppm, 5% at 1ppm, and 2% at 1.5ppm. Freshwater E. coli demonstrated 83% tolerance at 0.5ppm, 50% at 1ppm, and 33% at 1.5ppm, while Pseudomonas exhibited 83% tolerance at 0.5ppm, 77% at 1ppm, and 66% at 1.5 ppm. The tet A gene was detected in all E. coli and Klebsiella species, signifying the presence of co- resistance genes on the same plasmid responsible for both lead tolerance and antibiotic resistance. This study highlights the prospective for co-selection of tolerance of lead (Pb) and antibiot ic resistance in environmental microbes.