A Comparative Study of Antibiotic Resistance in Bacterial Isolates from Industrially Polluted and Unpolluted Water

Abstract

The antibiotic resistance shown by bacterial isolates from aquatic sources was studied. Resistance towards ampicillin was higher compared to the other antibiotics viz. amikacin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin and tetracycline. Compared to the isolates from unpolluted water sources the isolates from industrially polluted water showed higher incidence of resistance towards antibiotics such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin and tetracycline. Antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was compared. Incidence of multiple drug resistance to three or more drugs was more in isolates from polluted water. The results suggest that industrially polluted water bodies can act as reservoirs of multidrug resistant bacteria from where they can spread to the environment.