Bacteriological Quality of Local Streams and Antibacterial Effect of Ocimum gratissimum and Psidium guajava

Background: Streams are known sources of drinking water for most communities in the rural areas. It importance to human and other forms of life cannot be overemphasize, hence the need to evaluate it portability

Methodology: Microbiological quality of different streams in Inua Akpa of Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State was determined using standard bacteriological technique. The two (Psidium guajava and Ocimum gratissimum) plant materials were extracted using 70% ethanol and distilled water. Susceptibility testing was carried out using agar diffusion methods. SPSS version 20 was used for descriptive statistics, student Unpaired T-test compared the means of bacterial isolates and their distribution in different streams.

Results: E. coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella and Enterococcus Spp were isolated with percentage occurrence based on streams as: 43.0, 27.0, and 30.0%, 71.0, 27.0, 00, 83.0, 00, 18.0 and 63.0%, 38.0, 00 in Ndom Nyam, Usung Esuk and Usung Odot streams respectively. Klebsiella was the most frequent isolate (83.0%) followed by Salmonella Spp in Ndom Nyam. Salmonella and Enterococcus spp were absent in Usung Odot while Klebsiella Spp was undetected in Usung Esuk. E.coli was isolated in all the experimented streams with total occurrence of 93.0%. There was a significant difference at P = 0.005 in the occurrence of E. coli in all the streams compared to other isolates.

The isolated organisms were susceptible to P. guajava at all concentrations (50, 30, 20, 10, 5mg/mL) with highest inhibition of (24mm) observed at 50mg/mL against Klebsiella Spp. Ocimum gratissimum was effective against E.coli at all concentrations, Enterococcus was only inhibited at 50 and 30mg/mL, Klebsiella showed resistant at the lowest concentration (5mg/mL) while Salmonella resisted the extract at all concentrations. The aqueous extract of both plants showed no antimicrobial activity against any isolated organisms as well as negative controls.

Conclusion: This study suggest a regular monitoring of local streams to stop human activities that encourages the introduction of microorganisms into sources of drinking water. The expressed inhibitory zones of diameter by these two plants justify their used as alternative treatment for water related illnesses in rural communities.