Using Molecular Techniques for the Characterization of Escherichia coli Isolated from Creek Road/Bonny Estuary in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study characterised Escherichia coli isolated from Creek Road/Bonny Estuary using molecular techniques. One hundred and twenty (120) water samples were investigated for the presence of E. coli in Creek Road/Bonny Estuary. Most Probable Number (MPN) Technique, Eijkman test and molecular techniques were used for the isolation and detection of E. coli. The analysis was carried out periodically (morning and evening) and seasonally (end of rainy season (November), the start of rainy season (April) and in the middle of rainy season (July)). All E. coli isolates were screened for resistance genes in the pathotypes of E. coli (EHEC, EPEC, EAEC, ETEC and EIEC), including Sulfhydryl Variable (SHV), CTX-M, Temoniera (TEM) and MCR genes using the Polymerase chain reaction Technique. The results showed that 100% of the water samples were positive for coliforms and all the water samples harboured E. coli. The highest total coliforms count recorded was in the morning of April (48 MPN/100 ml). The distribution of individual genes in the E. coli isolates are: SHV (5.0), CTX-M (5.8), TEM (4.2), MCR (0.0%), stx1 and stx2 (4.2), esV and bfA (1.7), aaiC (4.2), elt (3.3) and invE (2.5). The CTX-M was the most found of all the resistance genes.