Isolation of E. coli from Drinking Water Sources for Humans andFarm Animals in Nyankpala Community of Ghana

摘要

The study was conducted to determine the occurrence of E. coli in drinking water sources usedby humans and farm animals in Nyankpala community of Ghana. Isolation of E. coli was doneusing a slightly modified procedure in the US Food and Drug Administration-BacteriologicalAnalysis Manual (FDA-BAM). A total of 200 water samples collected from six different watersources viz. sachet water (four different brands), tap water, well water, dam water, bottle water andwater from the drinking troughs (drinkers) of farm animals were analysed. The average occurrenceof E. coli in the different water samples was 58 (29%). The highest occurrence of E. coli was in wellwater 100% (20/20), followed by water from drinkers 80% (12/15), dam water 65% (13/20), rainwater 50% (10/20) and tap water 10% (3/25). All sachet (0/80) and bottle water (0/20) samples werenegative for E. coli. The number of well water samples positive for E. coli was significantly higher(p<0.01) than that of dam water, sachet water, rain water and tap water. This work indicated thatsome drinking water samples (well, drinkers, dam, rain water and tap water) in the NyankpalaCommunity of Ghana are contaminated with E. coli and thus humans and farm animals are at riskof foodborne infections from drinking water from such sources.