Incidence of transferable antibiotic resistance among enterotoxigenicEscherichia coliin urban drinking water

Abstract
The bacteriological analysis of 50 drinking water samples from various sources in different parts of Lucknow city showed coliforms ( >10/100ml) and faecal coliforms ( >1/100ml) in 56% and 44% of samples, respectively. Escherichia coli were isolated from 13 samples. All the isolates were found to be enterotoxigenic. Out of the total E. coli strains only six exhibited antibiotic resistance. Multiple and single resistances were found in 4 and 2 resistant strains, respectively. These strains also showed transfer of their antibiotic resistances at significant frequencies. Presence of transferable antibiotic resistance, particularly in enterotoxigenic E.coli in drinking water due to the faecal contamination, is a major factor for incidences of various diarrhoeal diseases.