{"id":3556,"date":"2025-09-14T05:29:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-14T05:29:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/?post_type=journal_article&#038;p=3556"},"modified":"2025-09-14T05:29:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T05:29:30","slug":"experimental-assessment-of-antibiotic-resistance-patterns-in-bacteria-isolated-from-wastewater-treatment-plants","status":"publish","type":"journal_article","link":"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/journal_article\/experimental-assessment-of-antibiotic-resistance-patterns-in-bacteria-isolated-from-wastewater-treatment-plants\/","title":{"rendered":"EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERNS IN BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Emekwisia, Esther U.<sup>1*<\/sup>, Ayim, Alokpa G.<sup>2<\/sup>, Omofaye, Victor I.<sup>3<\/sup>, Raymond, Queen C.<sup>4<\/sup>, Adekunle, Adewale P.<sup>5<\/sup>, Akagu , Emmanuel E.<sup>6<\/sup>, Udeh, Chisom D.<sup>7<\/sup>, Orji, Chiamaka C.<sup>8<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><sup>1<\/sup>Department of Nursing Science, Synapse Psychological Center, Awka, Nigeria<\/em><br><em><sup>2<\/sup>Department of Microbiology, University of Calabar, Nigeria<\/em><br><em><sup>3<\/sup>Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Lagos, Nigeria<\/em><br><em><sup>4<\/sup>Department of Biology Ignatius Ajulu University of Education Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Nigeria<\/em><br><em><sup>5<\/sup>Department of Quality Assurance, Anheuser Busch InBev SA\/NV, Sagamu, Nigeria<\/em><br><em><sup>6<\/sup>Department of Urban and Regional Planing , Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria<\/em><br><em><sup>7<\/sup>Department of Human Physiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria<\/em><br><em><sup>8<\/sup>Department of Global Health and Infectious Disease Control, Nassarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Abstract<\/strong><br>Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized hotspots for the proliferation and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). As effluent discharge may introduce ARB into natural water ecosystems, assessing resistance patterns in these environments is critical to public and environmental health. This study aims to experimentally assess antibiotic resistance patterns in bacterial isolates from different stages of WWTP processes (influent, activated sludge, effluent), evaluating variations in resistance prevalence and identifying critical control points. Bacterial samples were collected across influent, biological treatment (activated sludge), and effluent from three municipal WWTPs. Standard microbiological culturing techniques were used to isolate representative bacteria (e.g., <em>Escherichia coli<\/em>, <em>Pseudomonas spp.<\/em>, <em>Enterococcus spp.<\/em>). Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing against a panel of antibiotics (e.g., ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, vancomycin) using disk diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, following CLSI guidelines. Resistance profiles were analyzed by stage and WWTP. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and ANOVA to compare resistance rates across treatment stages. A total of 450 isolates were tested. Resistance prevalence significantly declined from influent to effluent for most antibiotics. For example, f<strong>igure 1<\/strong> shows a bar chart of percent resistance by sample stage: ampicillin resistance dropped from 75 % (influent) to 30 % (effluent); ciprofloxacin from 60 % to 25 %. f<strong>igure 2<\/strong> presents a line graph showing cumulative multi-drug resistance (MDR) rates decreasing across treatment stages. However, some isolates from effluent remained resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tetracycline and vancomycin. Findings highlight that conventional WWTP processes reduce\u2014but do not eliminate\u2014ARB. Results support the need for targeted disinfection or advanced tertiary treatments to minimize environmental release of resistance. Data provide a baseline for policymakers and engineers to strengthen wastewater treatment standards and safeguard public health. <br><br><strong><em>Keywords<\/em><\/strong> <em>\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00ad\u00adAntibiotic-Resistant Bacteria; Wastewater Treatment Plants; Antibiotic Susceptibility; Multi-Drug Resistance; Environmental Health; Effluent Monitoring<\/em><br><br><strong><em>Citation<\/em><\/strong>: Emekwisia, E. U., Ayim, A. G., Omofaye, V. I., Raymond, Q. C., Adekunle, A. P., Akagu, E. E., Udeh, C. D., &amp; Orji, C. C. (2025). Experimental Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance Patterns in Bacteria Isolated from Wastewater Treatment Plants.<em> British Journal of Health Science and Education, 6(1), 1-8 <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5281\/zenodo.17115235\"><em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5281\/zenodo.17115235<\/em><\/a> \u00a0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/BJHSE-6.1-1-8.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of BJHSE 6.1 (1-8).\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-b1416625-d822-4319-bce2-bb68b38c3600\" href=\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/BJHSE-6.1-1-8.pdf\">BJHSE 6.1 (1-8)<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2025\/09\/BJHSE-6.1-1-8.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-b1416625-d822-4319-bce2-bb68b38c3600\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><br><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"template":"","journal_article_cats":[152],"class_list":["post-3556","journal_article","type-journal_article","status-publish","hentry","journal_article_cat-vol-6-no-1"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.2 (Yoast SEO v26.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERNS IN BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS - THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES &amp; EDUCATION<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized hotspots for the proliferation and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). As effluent discharge may introduce ARB into natural water ecosystems, assessing resistance patterns in these environments is critical to public and environmental health. This study aims to experimentally assess antibiotic resistance patterns in bacterial isolates from different stages of WWTP processes (influent, activated sludge, effluent), evaluating variations in resistance prevalence and identifying critical control points. Bacterial samples were collected across influent, biological treatment (activated sludge), and effluent from three municipal WWTPs. Standard microbiological culturing techniques were used to isolate representative bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Enterococcus spp.). Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing against a panel of antibiotics (e.g., ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, vancomycin) using disk diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, following CLSI guidelines. Resistance profiles were analyzed by stage and WWTP. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and ANOVA to compare resistance rates across treatment stages. A total of 450 isolates were tested. Resistance prevalence significantly declined from influent to effluent for most antibiotics. For example, figure 1 shows a bar chart of percent resistance by sample stage: ampicillin resistance dropped from 75 % (influent) to 30 % (effluent); ciprofloxacin from 60 % to 25 %. figure 2 presents a line graph showing cumulative multi-drug resistance (MDR) rates decreasing across treatment stages. However, some isolates from effluent remained resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tetracycline and vancomycin. Findings highlight that conventional WWTP processes reduce\u2014but do not eliminate\u2014ARB. Results support the need for targeted disinfection or advanced tertiary treatments to minimize environmental release of resistance. Data provide a baseline for policymakers and engineers to strengthen wastewater treatment standards and safeguard public health.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/journal_article\/experimental-assessment-of-antibiotic-resistance-patterns-in-bacteria-isolated-from-wastewater-treatment-plants\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERNS IN BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized hotspots for the proliferation and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). As effluent discharge may introduce ARB into natural water ecosystems, assessing resistance patterns in these environments is critical to public and environmental health. This study aims to experimentally assess antibiotic resistance patterns in bacterial isolates from different stages of WWTP processes (influent, activated sludge, effluent), evaluating variations in resistance prevalence and identifying critical control points. Bacterial samples were collected across influent, biological treatment (activated sludge), and effluent from three municipal WWTPs. Standard microbiological culturing techniques were used to isolate representative bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Enterococcus spp.). Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing against a panel of antibiotics (e.g., ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, vancomycin) using disk diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, following CLSI guidelines. Resistance profiles were analyzed by stage and WWTP. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and ANOVA to compare resistance rates across treatment stages. A total of 450 isolates were tested. Resistance prevalence significantly declined from influent to effluent for most antibiotics. For example, figure 1 shows a bar chart of percent resistance by sample stage: ampicillin resistance dropped from 75 % (influent) to 30 % (effluent); ciprofloxacin from 60 % to 25 %. figure 2 presents a line graph showing cumulative multi-drug resistance (MDR) rates decreasing across treatment stages. However, some isolates from effluent remained resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tetracycline and vancomycin. Findings highlight that conventional WWTP processes reduce\u2014but do not eliminate\u2014ARB. Results support the need for targeted disinfection or advanced tertiary treatments to minimize environmental release of resistance. Data provide a baseline for policymakers and engineers to strengthen wastewater treatment standards and safeguard public health.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/journal_article\/experimental-assessment-of-antibiotic-resistance-patterns-in-bacteria-isolated-from-wastewater-treatment-plants\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES &amp; EDUCATION\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-14T05:29:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/journal_article\/experimental-assessment-of-antibiotic-resistance-patterns-in-bacteria-isolated-from-wastewater-treatment-plants\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/journal_article\/experimental-assessment-of-antibiotic-resistance-patterns-in-bacteria-isolated-from-wastewater-treatment-plants\/\",\"name\":\"EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERNS IN BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS - THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF HEALTH SCIENCES &amp; EDUCATION\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/deqepub.org\/bjhse\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-14T05:29:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-14T05:29:30+00:00\",\"description\":\"Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized hotspots for the proliferation and dissemination of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). As effluent discharge may introduce ARB into natural water ecosystems, assessing resistance patterns in these environments is critical to public and environmental health. This study aims to experimentally assess antibiotic resistance patterns in bacterial isolates from different stages of WWTP processes (influent, activated sludge, effluent), evaluating variations in resistance prevalence and identifying critical control points. Bacterial samples were collected across influent, biological treatment (activated sludge), and effluent from three municipal WWTPs. Standard microbiological culturing techniques were used to isolate representative bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Enterococcus spp.). Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing against a panel of antibiotics (e.g., ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, vancomycin) using disk diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, following CLSI guidelines. Resistance profiles were analyzed by stage and WWTP. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and ANOVA to compare resistance rates across treatment stages. A total of 450 isolates were tested. Resistance prevalence significantly declined from influent to effluent for most antibiotics. For example, figure 1 shows a bar chart of percent resistance by sample stage: ampicillin resistance dropped from 75 % (influent) to 30 % (effluent); ciprofloxacin from 60 % to 25 %. figure 2 presents a line graph showing cumulative multi-drug resistance (MDR) rates decreasing across treatment stages. However, some isolates from effluent remained resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tetracycline and vancomycin. Findings highlight that conventional WWTP processes reduce\u2014but do not eliminate\u2014ARB. Results support the need for targeted disinfection or advanced tertiary treatments to minimize environmental release of resistance. 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As effluent discharge may introduce ARB into natural water ecosystems, assessing resistance patterns in these environments is critical to public and environmental health. This study aims to experimentally assess antibiotic resistance patterns in bacterial isolates from different stages of WWTP processes (influent, activated sludge, effluent), evaluating variations in resistance prevalence and identifying critical control points. Bacterial samples were collected across influent, biological treatment (activated sludge), and effluent from three municipal WWTPs. Standard microbiological culturing techniques were used to isolate representative bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Enterococcus spp.). Isolates were subjected to antibiotic susceptibility testing against a panel of antibiotics (e.g., ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, vancomycin) using disk diffusion and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, following CLSI guidelines. Resistance profiles were analyzed by stage and WWTP. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and ANOVA to compare resistance rates across treatment stages. A total of 450 isolates were tested. Resistance prevalence significantly declined from influent to effluent for most antibiotics. For example, figure 1 shows a bar chart of percent resistance by sample stage: ampicillin resistance dropped from 75 % (influent) to 30 % (effluent); ciprofloxacin from 60 % to 25 %. figure 2 presents a line graph showing cumulative multi-drug resistance (MDR) rates decreasing across treatment stages. However, some isolates from effluent remained resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tetracycline and vancomycin. Findings highlight that conventional WWTP processes reduce\u2014but do not eliminate\u2014ARB. Results support the need for targeted disinfection or advanced tertiary treatments to minimize environmental release of resistance. 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Resistance profiles were analyzed by stage and WWTP. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and ANOVA to compare resistance rates across treatment stages. A total of 450 isolates were tested. Resistance prevalence significantly declined from influent to effluent for most antibiotics. For example, figure 1 shows a bar chart of percent resistance by sample stage: ampicillin resistance dropped from 75 % (influent) to 30 % (effluent); ciprofloxacin from 60 % to 25 %. figure 2 presents a line graph showing cumulative multi-drug resistance (MDR) rates decreasing across treatment stages. However, some isolates from effluent remained resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tetracycline and vancomycin. Findings highlight that conventional WWTP processes reduce\u2014but do not eliminate\u2014ARB. Results support the need for targeted disinfection or advanced tertiary treatments to minimize environmental release of resistance. 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Resistance profiles were analyzed by stage and WWTP. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and ANOVA to compare resistance rates across treatment stages. A total of 450 isolates were tested. Resistance prevalence significantly declined from influent to effluent for most antibiotics. For example, figure 1 shows a bar chart of percent resistance by sample stage: ampicillin resistance dropped from 75 % (influent) to 30 % (effluent); ciprofloxacin from 60 % to 25 %. figure 2 presents a line graph showing cumulative multi-drug resistance (MDR) rates decreasing across treatment stages. However, some isolates from effluent remained resistant to multiple antibiotics, including tetracycline and vancomycin. Findings highlight that conventional WWTP processes reduce\u2014but do not eliminate\u2014ARB. Results support the need for targeted disinfection or advanced tertiary treatments to minimize environmental release of resistance. 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