Investigating Antibiotic Susceptibility of Pathogenic Micro-Organisms in Groundwater from Boreholes and Shallow Wells in T/A Makhwira, Chikwawa

Many rural communities in Malawi use groundwater from boreholes and shallow wells for drinking and cooking with limited or no treatment because it is considered as a safe source of water. The contamination of groundwater sources by antimicrobial resistant bacteria renders the water unsafe to use. This study investigated the antibiotic susceptibility of pathogenic micro-organisms isolated from groundwater sources in T/A Makhwira, Chikwawa. Water samples were collected from 13 boreholes and 7 protected shallow wells from T/A Makhwira, Chikwawa. E. coli, Salmonella enterica ssp. Arizona, K. pneumoniae, ESBL E. coli, and ESBL K. pneumoniae were detected in some water samples. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that the isolates had a high resistance to Ampicillin (42%), followed by Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (26%), Ciprofloxacin (21%), Doxycycline, and Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (16%). The isolates had a very high sensitivity to Gentamicin (89%). The study revealed that the water from some boreholes and shallow wells in T/A Makhwira is highly contaminated and needs to be treated before consumption. Drinking untreated water from these sources could transfer antibiotic-resistant bacteria to humans because the groundwater may act as a vehicle for the transmission of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria.