Preliminary Study of Antibiotic Resistant Escherichia Coli in Hospital Wastewater Treatment Plants in Indonesia

Abstract

The widespread uses of antibiotics have encouraged antibiotic resistant bacteria to develop and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are believed to be hotspots for the dissemination of such bacteria. This research was conducted to ascertain the effect of WWTPs at a Jakarta public hospital on the prevalance of antibiotic resistant E. coli in three antibiotics, namely Meropenem, Ciprofloxacin and Cefixime, using the Kirby Bauer method. WWTPs apply activated sludge, polystyrene filtration, and chlorination to treat hospital wastewater. Raw wastewater was found to contain 4.6×104 CFU E. coli with the percentage of antibiotic-resistant E. coli in Meropenem of 3.8%, in Ciprofloxacin of 53.8%, and in Cefixime of 56.3%, while treated wastewater contained antibiotic resistant E. coli in Meropenem at the level of 20%, in Ciprofloxacin of 60%, and in Cefixime of 80% for 1.3×103 CFU E. coli. Hospital WWTPs increased the percentage of antibiotic-resistant E. coli. The E. coli becoming resistant to Meropenem, the Carbapenem class antibiotic known for its effectiveness in dealing with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Keywords

• Antibiotics
• Escherichia coli
• Kirby Bauer
• Resistant bacteria
• Wastewater