https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Index ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:11295 0.05), whereas the resistance profile of the isolates against gentamycin, ciprofloxacin, sulphamethoxazole, ampicillin and amoxicillin were significantly different (P < 0.05). Amikacin, kanamycin, streptomycin, meropenem, imipenem and gatilofloxacin were statistically excluded from the analysis since all tested isolates showed total susceptibility to these antimicrobials. The multiple antibiotic resistance indexing ranged from 0.50 to 0.80 for all the sampling locations and exceeded the threshold value of 0.2. Prevalence and distributions of the 19 resistance determinants assessed were obtained as follows; [sulfonamides (sulI (8%), sulII (41%)], [beta-lactams; (ampC 22%; blaTEM, (21%), blaZ (18%),], [tetracyclines (tetA (24%), tetB (23%), tetC (18%), tetD (78%), tetK (15%), tetM, (10%)], [phenicols; (catI (37%), catII (28%), cmlA1 (19%)] and [aminoglycosides; (aacC2 (8%), aphA1 (80%), aphA2 (80%), aadA (79%) and strA (38%)]. The Pearson chi square exact test revealed many strong significant associations among ampC, blaTEM, blaZ and tetA genes with some determinants screened. In the same vein, a grand total of 366 resistance gene fingerprints were spotted across the sampling locations and among the resistant pathotypes, the modal prevalent gene prints were found among the ETEC strains in 148 (40%), being the predominant pathotype observed, followed by UPEC strains 80 (22%) while the lowest was the least occurring EAEC pathotype 14 (4%). While some physicochemical parameters exceeded prescribed standards for drinking water, some fell within. The total coliforms obtained in all the sampling sites were above the acceptable limits. Findings reveal the presence of diarrhoeagenic and non-diarrhoeagenic E. coli in the selected rivers and suggest a potential public health risk as the rivers are important resources for domestic, recreational and livelihood usage by their host communities. The multiple drug resistance indexing signifies isolates and pathotypes of high antimicrobial usage origin. An increase in the antimicrobial resistance signatures towards conventionally used antibiotics as observed in this study necessitates for safe water supply, adequate sanitation facilities and proper surveillance programs towards the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance determinants in water-bodies. Generally, results from this study indicate that the river waters are not suitable for consumption, domestic or recreational use and re-echo the importance of safeguarding the freshwater resources of Southwestern Nigeria.]]> Wed 12 May 2021 18:29:51 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:11292 Thu 13 May 2021 01:58:30 SAST ]]>