Bacterial Pathogen Community Profiling of Three Freshwater Bodies in Akwa North and South Local Government Areas, Anambra State, Nigeria

The bacterial pathogen community profile of three freshwater bodies with different effluent inputs in Akwa North and South Local Government Areas, Anambra State, Nigeria was investigated. Water samples were collected and analyzed for bacteriological properties using standard procedures. The microscopic and biochemical techniques were employed in the identification of bacterial isolates. The bacteriological result revealed that water sample from Urum had the highest total heterotrophic aerobic bacteria count of 81.25 ± 22.98 logcfu/ml with percentage frequency of 22.8 % and Mgbakwu has the lowest total heterotrophic aerobic bacteria count of 75.00 ± 35.53 logcfu/ml with percentage frequency of 19.95 % respectively. For faecal Streptococci water sample from Urum has the highest value of 79.88 ± 24.92 logcfu/ml with percentage frequency of 22.46 %. Water sample from Obibia has the lowest faecal streptococci count of 66.25 ± 33.58, respectively. The results revealed that Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Salmonella enterica subsp. Enterica, Clostridium viride, Vibrio alginolyticus, Serratia marcencens, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sp. And Pseudomonas aeruginosa were the dominant bacteria identified. Statistically, there were significant (p < 0.05) differences detected among the means of pathogenic groups, but non – significant (p > 0.05) differences detected among the means of sampling sites. Thus, the baseline data from this study showed that the pathogenic bacterial populations of the three streams were high thereby suggesting public health danger to human consumption. Strict measures should be put in place by water managers, stakeholders and government in order to avert these menaces in the three studies areas.