No E.coli were detected in the municipal water supply,
however, E.coli were found in the groundwater and
showed resistance to ciprofloxacin, intermediate resistance
to amikacin and sensitivity to the other antibiotics
tested (Table 6). E.coli from all wastewater samples were
resistant to amikacin and sensitive to amoxicillin, with
only E.coli from site 2 showing intermediate resistance to
ciprofloxacin. Thus, no specific relationship between
E.coli susceptibility/resistance and antibiotic prescription
and/or residue level in wastewater was discernible.
Discussion
To our knowledge, this is the first study in India, which
has attempted to quantify concurrently, in the same hospital,
consumption of antibiotics, estimation of antibiotic
residues in hospital-associated waters and antibiotic sensitivity
amongst E.coli found in these waters.