Browsing by Author "Arhin-Sam, Vivian Etsiapa"

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    Groundwater quality in three peri-urban communities in Kumasi and the effectiveness of some anti-diarrhoeal agents against isolated organisms
    (2008-08-23) Arhin-Sam, Vivian Etsiapa
    The aim of the research was to assess the physical and bacteriological quality of water used in three peri-urban communities in Kumasi, Ghana, and to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of ten antibiotics sold on the Ghanaian market against diarrhoea causing organisms isolated from the water samples. The Pour Plate, Membrane Filtration and inoculation into various liquid media were employed in examining nine (9) sources of drinking water used by the three communities for the presence of indicators of faecal contaminants (total coliforms and faecal coliforms) over a period of six (6) months. The samples were also analysed for pH, turbidity, conductivity, total dissolved solids and colour. The samples showed different levels of contamination with enterococci, other gram positive and gram negative bacteria and fungi. Twenty randomly selected isolates from the membrane filtration method were identified using the API 20E system of identification and consisted of Escherichia coli 30%, Enterobacter sakazakii 20%, Enterobacter cloacae 15%, Citrobacter diverus 15%, Salmonella spp 10% and Serratia marcescens 10%. From the MIC determination, Escherichia coli exhibited the highest susceptibility whilst ) Streptococci faecalis exhibited the least susceptibility. There was no significant * difference between the MIC values produced by combination drugs and the values from I. single-component drugs. The samples that were analysed were of variable physical and bacteriological safety and quality. Most of the drugs used in this research had high MIC values against E. coli.