Bathing suitability and antimicrobial susceptibility of enterococos in tropical coastal waters

Abstract

The bathing suitability of three beaches and the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium lineages to various antimicrobials were studied weekly for 14 weeks in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. The water of the beaches 1, 2 and 3 was considered unsuitable for bathing (40%, 60% and 80%, respectively). Enterococcus faecalis was the predominant species (63.5%) in the water of the three beaches, followed by E. faecium (36.5%). Most lineages (36.5%) were isolated in beach 2; 34.6% were isolated in beach 1, and 28.8% in 3. High antimicrobial resistance to nalidixic acid (94.3%), tetracycline (26.4%) and amicacine (26.0%) was observed. All strains showed 100% susceptibility to ampicillin and imipenem. Enterococcus faecalis was also susceptible to vancomycin and E. faecium to penicillin. Multiple resistance profile was observed in 88.5% (MAR >0.18) of the strains, three of which were resistant to six antimicrobials. Considering the resistance increase of autochthonous bacteria observed in the marine environment, special attention should be paid to the multiple resistance profile of the isolates.