Quantification of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from water sources in Hall County, Georgia, USA

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are a family of enzymes that confer resistance to a number of antibiotics, including those containing a beta lactam ring. ESBLs exhibit antibiotic resistance by destroying the antibiotic’s structure and may be encoded by bacterial plasmids that can easily be transferred between bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae. Organisms that produce ESBLs pose both threats and challenges in the administration of appropriate therapeutic agents to treat infections. Water environments such as streams can help the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which can originate from a variety of sources, including food processing, waste water treatment plants, and urban runoff. We are studying the isolation and identification of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae from water samples obtained from a water treatment plant and its receiving stream in north Georgia. In this paper, we carried out enumeration of ESBL-producing bacteria from water samples obtained immediately upstream and downstream from the water treatment plant. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae were observed from both pre-treated water obtained from the water treatment plant and from upstream (240/ 100 ml) and downstream (240/ 100 ml) water samples, including ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia. Our results indicate that ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae are present in all water sources sampled. This suggests that the waste water treatment plant is not the source of these microorganisms. Further studies are needed to determine the originating source