Avaliação de resistência aos antibióticos de bactérias Escherichia coli presentes nos rios da bacia hidrográfica do Ribeirão dos Padilhas, Curitiba-PR: estudo de caso

Abstract

Escherichia coli is part of the enterobacteria present in the human gastrointestinal tract. Some strains, due to their virulence factors and specific serology, present characteristics of pathogenicity to human beings, triggering gastroenteritis and some infections, especially in the urinary tract. In addition to pathogenicity, antibiotic resistance has become another emerging threat by public authorities, as portrayed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on this, Antibiotic Susceptibility Tests (ATS) of E. coli strains were carried out, and detected at different collection points in the Padilhas river basin, located in the main river and its tributaries. The objective of the present study was to outline the microbiological profile of E. coli strains found in the water bodies of the basin, in the presence of the antibiotics amikacin, amoxicillin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol, and to discuss their impacts on public health in the region. After being detected, the E. coli colonies were isolated and cultured in specific culture media following the APHA standard procedures and, after reaching the pre-established culture time, commercial antibiotic discs were disposed of onto the inoculated culture media in petri dishes, allowing classify the strains as resistant or susceptible according to the inhibition halos measured, adopting the ATCC 25922 strain as the quality standard. Of the 35 points sampled, 17 colonies of E. coli were detected, of which 88.2% were resistant to amikacin, 100% to amoxicillin, 70.5% to ceftriaxone, 94.1% to ciprofloxacin and 88.2% to chloramphenicol. This verification led to the finding of high genetic variability of the studied strains, corroborating the need for the intervention of professionals from the most diverse segments in order to establish more effective and comprehensive management of the water bodies, as well as health professionals aiming to adopt the most effective treatment to combat strains of E. coli considered pathogenic to the human body.