Presence of Pseudomonas and Enterococcus in stormwater drain systems and in the adjacent marine water, at Fortaleza city, Ceará State

Abstract

The main vehicle of contamination of Fortaleza beaches are stormwater sewers which drain their load directly into the  nearby sea without any treatment. This study aimed to: quantify and analyze the populations of the  Enterococcus spp and P.  aeruginosa bacteria groups present in two storm water galleries, namely Maceió Creek -G1, and opposite Meireles Beach -G2,  and at two adjacent receiving sites of their drainage at sea (P1 and P2), in Fortaleza city, Ceará State. Further, this study’s goal  was also to isolate and identify  P. aeruginosa strains in such waters in order to assess the susceptibility profiles to different  antimicrobial use in human clinic conditions. It is concluded that the coastal waters of Fortaleza are contaminated with  Pseudomonas sp. and  Enterococcus sp coming from storm sewers, and although it has been proved the sensitivity of  P.  aeruginosa to 100% of the antibiotic tested, there is a risk of transfer of resistance genes among bacterial groups. Surveillance  is suggested to control  P. aeruginosa as an opportunistic pathogen in coastal waters amenable to predominant usage for  primary contact.