Professor
Karim Md. Abdul
Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Botany, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Title: Investigation of Multidrug Resistant Bacteria at Hospital Wastes and Aquatic Habitats in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Abstract
Irrational use of antibiotics in hospitals provokes drug resistance leading to the dissemination of resistant genes in hospital wastewater (HWW). Unmetabolized antibiotics in low concentrations are released through urine and feces from treated patients and animals, of which a large proportion passes directly to the environment leading AMR in environmental microbiota. The present study aimed to evaluate the frequency and efficacy of multidrug resistant bacteria in HWW and aquatic habitats, because of the possibility of antibiotics being released into aquatic habitats. Wastewater and sediment samples were collected from six government and five private hospitals and from 11 sampling sites including 7 ponds, 3 lakes and 1 river in Dhaka city. A total of 22 samples were processed in microbiological media as Peptone Yeast Glucose (PYG), Eosine Methylene Blue (EMB), Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate (XLD) and Cetrimide agar for enumeration and isolation of bacteria. Bacterial load of wastewater samples on PYG, EMB, XLD and cetrimide agar media for both types of hospitals ranged 7.5 × 10 – 1.8 × 105, 9.2 × 102 – 1.1 × 105, 4.2 × 103 – 8.1 × 104 and 1.6 × 10 – 6.1 × 103 cfu/ml, respectively. In the case of sediment samples, the range of bacterial load was 4.9 × 105 – 2.09 × 107, 8.2 × 104 – 7.4 × 106, 4.1 × 104 – 5 × 106 and 1.45 × 103 – 2.1 × 105 cfu/g, respectively. The predominant bacteria are Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella spp., Citrobacter freundii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter spp., Serratia marcescens, Proteus mirabilis and Providencia alcalifaciens. All the isolates except 6 showed multidrug resistance (88%). The prevalence of MDR in government hospitals was 92%, while it was 88% in private hospitals. The isolated bacteria showed highest resistance to flucloxacillin (96%), followed by vancomycin (90%), penicillin (90%), tobramycin (90%), clindamycin (88%), kanamycin (88%), gentamycin (86%), cephalexin (84%), cefuroxime (82%), moxifloxacin (80%), azithromycin (80%), ciprofloxacin (76%) and erythromycin (74%). Tetracycline (62%) and chloramphenicol (54%) were found to be the most susceptible antibiotics compared to others. One of each Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Citrobacter freundii showed 100% resistance to all 15 used antibiotics. The results indicated that maximum isolated bacteria in the study developed resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics. To avoid dissemination of multidrug resistant bacteria, hospital wastewater should be treated properly before released into the environment as well as implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs is necessary to ensure appropriate use of antibiotics.
Biography of the presenting author
Md. Abdul Karim earned his PhD at Ehime University, Japan. He is working as a Professor at the Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Dhaka. Research in his lab focuses on understanding how to evaluate and control microbial activities in eutrophic environments. His current project includes, 1) Characterization of multidrug resistant bacteria from environmental samples and hospital wastes and their resistance mechanism; 2) Microbiota in fish guts and their antibiogram; 3) Characterization of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate plastic degrading bacteria, and 4) Understanding of how pathogenic bacteria can survive longer period in adverse condition in association with other microorganisms and their interrelationship. He has supervised over 38 postgraduates and PhD. He has published 67 peer-reviewed papers in microbiology, author of 12 book chapters and 3 research books. Prof. Karim is a member of editorial board such as Asian Council of Science Editors, 2021-22 to present date, Bangladesh Journal of Botany, 2021-23, Journal of Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Science 2018-2021 and Executive Editor, Bangladesh Journal of Botany, 2018-2020. He was awarded by the University Grants Commission in recognition of his outstanding performance in his field.
Presenting author details
Full name: Md. Abdul Karim Contact number: +8801715-015675
Email: akarim@du.ac.bd
Researcher ID: R2310000320
Session name/ number: 5. Environmental Biotechnology