**Hospital wastewater: reservoir of antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas strains in Ibadan, Nigeria**

Author: Olutayo Israel Falodun, Tomilola Feyikemi Akinbamiro, Akeem Ganiyu Rabiu

Category: Research Article

Abstract:

Transmission of nosocomial infections becomes debilitating when caused by multiple antibiotics resistant bacteria such as Pseudomonas species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, notorious for both opportunistic and original infections, has multiple drug resistant (MDR) characteristics and thus a persistent threat to public health. This study was therefore carried out to determine the patterns of antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas species isolated from the wastewater samples of a specialized private hospital. Wastewater samples were collected from four different points within and outside the hospital environment; namely, theater, laboratory, drainage and the receiving river. Isolation of Pseudomonas species was performed using the standard pour plate method. The isolates were identified using standard biochemical and sugar fermentation tests while the antibiotic susceptibility test was done using the disc diffusion method. A total of 97 strains of Pseudomonas species were isolated comprising 44 (45.4%) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 41 (42.2%) P. fluorescens and 12 (12.3%) other Pseudomonas species. While all the isolates were resistant to piperacillin, 96 (99%) of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline, 93 (95.9%) to nitrofurantoin and 92 (94.8%) were resistant to aztreonam with cumulative total resistance of 4.1%. This study showed that antibiotics resistant Pseudomonas strains were present in hospital wastewater. Therefore, Federal/State Hospital Management Board and other regulatory government agencies should ensure that hospital effluents are properly treated before its disposal into the environment.

Keywords: antibiotics resistance, environment, hospital wastewater, Pseudomonas species