RESUMEN
Infectious diseases control of recent is a major health concern globally due to high increase in number of microorganisms that are resistant to conventional antimicrobial agents. This study aimed at ascertaining the microbiological quality and multiple antibiotic resistance profile of E. coli strains isolated from different sources of drinking water. A total of 136 water samples from different drinking water sources, including the storage tanks (the school and the commercial storage tank), sachet and bottlewater were obtained from University of Nigeria Enugu Campus and analyzed. Standard microbiological techniques were employed for bacteria isolation, identification and antibiogram. From the water samples collected 25 E. coli strains were isolated. The school storage tanks account for 60% of the isolates, while bottled water showed no growth. 92% of the E. coli isolated showed resistance to the tested antibiotics. Resistant were higher with Augmentin (64%), Chloramphenicol (48%) and Streptomycin 11 (44%) while most were sensitive to Tarivid and Perfloxacine (100%). Isolates from school storage water sources showed the highest resistance to Augmentin (76.5%) while those from commercial storage water sources showed the highest resistance to Streptomycin (66.7%). Out of the 23 (92%) antibiotics resistant E. coli isolates 18 (78.3%) were multidrug resistance (MDR). The school storage water sources had the highest number of MDR E.coli14 (77.8%) followed by the commercial storage water sources 4 (22.2%), but the sachet and bottled water had no MDR E. coli. In conclusion, drinking water may potentially contribute to the source of multidrug resistance E. coli in this community