Drug resistant bacteria in non carbonated mineral waters

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Environmental Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.
• The presence and significance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in bottled water, a common source of hydration, are not fully understood.
• Bottling materials, such as plastic (PVC) and glass, may influence microbial contamination levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in non-carbonated mineral waters bottled in plastic and glass.
• To characterize the antibiotic resistance profiles and identify the types of resistant bacteria found.
• To assess the proportion of multiple antibiotic resistant (MAR) strains.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and enumeration of heterotrophic bacteria from bottled mineral waters using plate counts.
• Determination of antibiotic resistance patterns for individual antibiotics among bacterial isolates.
• Identification of bacterial strains exhibiting multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR).

Main Results:

• Antibiotic resistant bacteria were detected in both PVC and glass-bottled mineral waters.
• Nalidixic acid showed the highest resistance (39.1%), followed by ampicillin (26.2%) and bacitracin (19.7%).
• 51% of isolates were MAR strains, with gram-positive cocci being the predominant type identified.

Conclusions:

• Bottled mineral water can harbor antibiotic resistant bacteria, posing potential public health implications.
• The prevalence of MAR strains highlights the need for monitoring microbial quality in bottled water.
• Further research is warranted to understand the sources and transmission routes of these resistant bacteria.