Antibiotic Susceptibility of Bacteria Isolated from Abattoir Effluent-Impacted Tagangu River, Aliero, Kebbi State, North-Western Nigeria

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of abattoir effluent on microbiological quality of the receiving Tagangu River and the susceptibility of the isolates to commonly-used antibiotics. The most probable number (MPN) as well as the Kirby-Bauer method of antibiotic susceptibility test were used and demonstrated the total heterotrophic bacteria as well as Escherichia coli O157:H7 numbers in a total of 30 water samples collected over a period of three months at three strategic points of the river. In accordance with CLSI guidelines, four out of eight bacteria (Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris and Citrobacter sp.) isolated, demonstrated multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) against at least three out of septrin, chloramphenicol, amoxicillin, augmentin, gentamicin, tarivid and streptomycin. All the isolates (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter sp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Citrobacter sp., Serratia marcescens and Aerobacter aerogenes) showed either high or intermediate susceptibility to sparfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and pefloxacin. The findings indicated that the river has been heavily polluted with the effluent discharges and did not meet any of the WHO guidelines for natural water sources fit for irrigation or other domestic purposes. As such, indiscriminate discharge of abattoir effluent could impact on the microbiological quality and promote increased incidence of multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria in a receiving river.